Treasure
by Stevie Masen
Summary: Bo's been in love before, but not like this. And this girl's got a story, some precious four-legged cargo, and bad guys who will stop at nothing to get to her. Can the Dukes protect her? Will she find a place in Hazzard, or will she break Bo's heart?
1. Bowl Me Over

It was one of those typical days in Hazzard; a day when nothing at all could happen, and when one little thing could change everything about someone's life.

It was a sunny day, and as usual, Bo was in the driver's seat of the General Lee, with Luke riding shotgun. And as usual, they were talking about girls. What wasn't usual was the occasion. The Hazzard Centennial Celebration was a couple of weeks away, and Boss had a carnival and a dance planned, with hefty entrance fees for both of them, of course. And what really wasn't usual was, the boys didn't have dates yet. Which was why they were talking. Of course, the subject wasn't just being brought up between the boys. Most of Hazzard was talking too. Seems a lot of people in Hazzard, mostly of the female persuasion, felt the boys should put their bachelor days behind them.

"Now Luke, you know Martha Ann has been makin' eyes at you these last few weeks," said Bo. "The way she's been starin' at ya, I think she's been tryin' to send subliminal messages at your head to get you to ask her to the dance."

Luke grinned, his dark hair blowing in the wind. "Don't think I haven't noticed," he said. "I'll ask her when I see her, I guess. Maybe she got to me."

"The way _you've_ stared at _her_, I'd say she did," Bo teased. "Or haven't you noticed that part?"

"Oh, I've noticed," said Luke. "I've noticed too that you haven't been lookin'. Who're you plannin' on askin'?"

Bo sighed; he'd known Luke would ask, he probably shouldn't have teased him. He shook his head a little. "I dunno," he said simply.

"You don't _know_?" Luke laughed. "Bo, over half the girls in Hazzard are chompin' at the bit to go to this dance with you! You could ask any single girl in three counties—and probably some of the married ones—and she'd be dyin' to go with you! Now you gotta have somebody in mind!"

Bo shook his head again. "Yeah, I knew you'd say that cuz, but truth is, I really don't." He ran a hand through his honey-blond hair. "Sure, a lot of girls catch my eye, but nobody's really caught my attention lately. I feel like this is a special occasion, an' I should be askin' a special girl. And I ain't really found one."

Luke snorted. "Whatever; you better find somebody or you're gonna wind up goin' with Lulu's cousin Lena."

"I'd go stag first," Bo replied.

* * *

The boys got into Hazzard and stopped at the bank. "Hoo-wee, would you look at that?" said Bo, as they climbed out of the General Lee. A gleaming blue dually truck with a matching extended trailer was sitting by the curb. They heard a snort and a low whinney from the trailer's windows. Bo hopped up on the wheel rim and saw two horses looking back at him.

"Now that is a serious rig," said Luke, as they walked up to examine it. "Somebody's doin' a lot of driving with this trailer to have a truck this size."

"Whose is it? I ain't never seen it before. It practically takes up half the street!" said Bo, looking in the truck's windows.

"Well, with Kentucky plates on it, it doesn't belong to anyone around here," said Luke. "They must be just passin' through. C'mon, let's get in the bank and get the mortgage paid before Boss sees us and decides to close early."

They headed up the bank's steps. As Luke opened the door, Bo turned back to take another look at the trailer, so he didn't see a girl come running out of the bank at full speed. Bo let out a "whuff" as she plowed right into him. Thrown off balance, Bo hit the ground; the girl yelped, stumbled, and fell over him, dropping her bag on the sidewalk, its contents spilling everywhere.

"Whoa! Bo, you all right?" exclaimed Luke, and ran to help the girl who'd run over him.

"Yeah; wow, who ran me over? Did ya get the license number?" Bo laughed a little and turned to the girl. She was scrambling for everything that had scattered on the sidewalk. "You okay there, miss?" he said, as they knelt down and started grabbing papers.

"Oh—yes," she said, not looking up. "Gosh, I'm so sorry, I didn't even see you standing there, are you all right?"

"Well, I think I'll live," said Bo, smiling, "but ya might wanna obey the speed limit next time." He handed a handful of papers and a cash envelope to her.

She smiled as she took them and stood up. "I'm sorry, really," she said, and turned to face them.

Bo's eyes widened a little. The girl had bright auburn hair, shot through with streaks of red, tied in a long braid that fell over her shoulder. The late afternoon sun shone on pale, creamy skin. Bo expected to see green eyes, but hers were a dark hazel, flecked with gold. She was very short; Bo stood over her by at least a foot. She seemed distracted, but it didn't change the fact that she was downright gorgeous. Bo found himself staring.

Seeing that his cousin was more than a little distracted, Luke cut in. "Um, here ya go," he said, holding out another cash envelope. "I think that's the last of it."

"Thank you," she said, and stuffed it into her bag.

"That's quite a bit of cash you're carryin' there," said Luke.

"Yeah—hey, you didn't just rob the bank did you?" said Bo, getting his voice back. "'Cause if you did, I'm not sure if we should perform a citizen's arrest or thank you for fleecin' Boss Hogg!"

"Hogg…would he be a short, fan man in a white suit who practically cried when I told him how much my wire transfer was for?" the girl asked.

Bo and Luke burst out laughing. "Yeah, that'd be him!" said Bo.

The girl laughed a little too. "I've never seen someone so attached to money before."

"Well, you obviously ain't been around Hazzard long, then!" said Luke. "You'd need a crowbar to pry a nickel out o' Boss Hogg's hand."

"I don't think you've been around Hazzard at all," said Bo, smiling at her. "I'd have definitely noticed you." Luke shot him a look, but Bo didn't look like he was trying to lay on the charm. Rather, he looked like this tiny redhead had charmed him.

The girl gave a shy smile. "Well, thank you for helping me, mister-?"

"Oh, uh, my name's Bo Duke," he said quickly, taking her hand, "And this here's my cousin, Luke Duke."

"Pleasure," said Luke, shaking her hand.

"Likewise, gentlemen, and thank you for helping me overcome being such a clutz," she said.

"Hey, a girl as pretty as you can bowl me over anytime," said Bo. He really couldn't stop staring at her. Luke noticed he wasn't the only one; the girl hadn't taken her eyes off of Bo either. _Why is it always him?_ he thought. He decided to step in again. "Uh, is there anything else we can do for you?"

"Well, is there a feed store in town? I could stand to stop at one," she said, gesturing to the trailer.

"Wait—that rig's _yours?_" said Bo.

She raised her eyebrows. "Surprised a girl this small could drive a rig that big?" she said, giving him a knowing smile.

"Um…" Bo blushed a little.

Luke grinned and pointed across the square. "See that blue and white sign over there?" he said. "That's Mr. Rhuebottom's; he sells just about everything, he can set you up."

"Thank you," she said, and looked back at Bo. "And…it was very nice meeting you."

"It was really nice to meet you," said Bo softly, still smiling at her like a fool. The girl turned and started heading across the street.

"Wait—you didn't tell me your name!" Bo called after her.

"Darla!" she shouted over her shoulder. She flashed him one more smile and broke into a jog, heading across the square.

Bo continued to stare after her. "Wow," he said softly.

Luke shook his head, grinning. "C'mon, cuz," he said, tugging at Bo's elbow. Bo finally quit staring and followed his cousin into the bank. But he never really noticed Boss's greed at taking the Duke's money for the mortgage; he was still thinking about dark red hair, golden eyes and a captivating smile.

* * *

"Hey, Cooter!" Luke called out as they pulled up in front of Cooter's Garage and climbed out of the General.

"Hey, what's up, y'all?" the mechanic called back, emerging from under the hood of Enos's patrol car.

"Hey, did you see that rig and trailer over by the bank?" said Bo, looking around. The girl and the rig were both gone when they'd come out, and they hadn't seen it behind Ruebottom's. Bo was a little crestfallen at not finding her again.

"Oh, yeah! Hoo! That was a beautiful setup there," Cooter answered.

"Did you see who was driving it?" Bo went on.

"Yeah, that was the only thing Bo noticed," said Luke.

"Musta been a pretty girl then," said Cooter, grinning. "Naw, can't say I did, but apparently she's popular; couple o' guys came by the garage, lookin' for her."

"Who were they?" Luke asked.

"Dunno, never seen 'em before," said Cooter. "Seemed pretty intent on findin' her though."

Luke looked over at Bo. "If she's just passin' through, who'd be looking for her?"

* * *

After leaving Cooter's, the boys headed back to the farm. As they drifted down the dirt roads, they saw a familiar blue trailer.

"Is that who I think it is?" said Bo, his face lighting up.

Luke grinned at Bo's smile. "She must be headin' for Atlanta, if she's on this road," he said.

"Think we can get her to stop at the Boar's Nest?"

"Guess we can try."

"Okay, do a good job for me, cuz!" said Bo, and started to move alongside the back end of the trailer. But a loud honk made him hit the brakes and veer back behind the trailer as a black Bronco came flying by.

"Now where in the heck did he come from?" said Bo. But they didn't have much time to dwell on it. The truck pulled alongside the rig and slammed into it.

"What the heck are they doin'?" said Luke.

"They're tryin' ta run her off the road, Luke!" said Bo, and stomped on the gas.

"Hang on! Hang back, we can't get caught in the middle!" Luke yelled.

The truck slammed into the rig again. "We gotta do somethin', Luke! She can't hold out much longer against that!" Bo yelled back.

The truck hit the rig a third time, and the rig blew a tire. It started to swerve back and forth as the black truck sped on. The driver held on for a few seconds, but with the trailer attached she couldn't keep the rig under control, and she started to fishtail.

"She's losin' it, Luke!" shouted Bo. Smoke rose from the tires as she slammed on the brakes, but it wasn't enough to stop her. The rig skidded off the road and slammed into a tree.

"Pull over, let's go get her!" said Luke. Bo slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop. They climbed out and started to run for the rig when they heard the horses squealing and whinnying in the trailer. "Bo, wait!" Luke said, and pointed. The trailer was hanging precariously over a ditch. The hitch connecting it to the truck was holding it upright, but they could hear metal groaning as the neck twisted; it wasn't going to hold for long. "If that trailer goes over, those horses are gonna get hurt. We gotta get them out first." They changed course and ran for the trailer.

Luke got the door unfastened and slid inside. The two horses, a blue roan and a seal brown, were tugging at their lead ropes, their eyes rolling in fear. Luke had to pick his way between their hooves to get to their leads. "Take it easy now," he said, and unfastened the dark horse's rope. Slowly, he started to back him out, but the horse had other ideas. He jerked his head and yanked the lead out of Luke's hands. He turned and jumped out of the trailer, but Bo was ready for him and grabbed his rope. "Whoa, take it easy now, big guy," he said. He hoped his voice sounded calmer than he felt, because the big horse was quivering and ready to bolt. It wouldn't do at all if he decided to take off on him. "Whoa now, easy boy, easy," he said slowly, and put his hand on the horse's nose. Without being able to throw his head around, the horse quieted a little, but Bo could still see the whites of his eyes. "That's better," said Bo, and quickly tied the horse's rope to the grill guard on the front of the General Lee.

Luke untied the other horse's rope and got him turned around. The roan seemed calmer than the seal, although he was still shaken from the crash. They got the roan's rope tied to the General and started to run for the driver.

But they got brought up short.

The girl had climbed down from the rig. She had a gash on her forehead that was dripping blood down her face and into her hair, and she looked dazed. But it wasn't affecting her aim. She had a pistol pointed at them.


	2. Help is Needed

"Stay. Away. From them," the girl said. She was swaying back and forth, but she was managing to keep her gun trained on them.

"Hey now, we're just tryin' to help—" Luke bit his words off and raised his hands as she pointed the gun at him.

"You're—not—_taking them,_" she said through clenched teeth.

Bo realized she wasn't worried about herself; her concern was for the horses. She was trying to hide the pain she was in, but Bo saw a flash of something else in her eyes: Fear. _Somebody just tried to kill this girl,_ he thought, _no wonder she's scared, especially if she doesn't know who was trying._

He took a step to his left. "It's Darla, isn't it?" he said softly. "Listen to me, please." He hoped talking low and slow would work on her like it did on her horse. "We're not the ones who tried to run you off the road." He took another step, his hands raised in surrender. Luke realized what he was doing; putting space between them, so she couldn't train her gun on both of them. It was working; she didn't know which of them to focus on. "Your horses are fine, they're right over there," he said, pointing at them. "But you're _not_ fine," said Bo, taking another step. "You're hurt, and so's your rig."

The girl looked back and forth between the two of them, breathing rapidly. Luke was looking back and forth between the girl and his cousin. But Bo only had eyes for her. He kept moving. "We're not here to hurt you. Now just put that gun down, and let us help you. Please." Darla stared at him for a minute; her slight figure seemed to slump a little. Finally, she started to lower the gun.

"All right, that's—whoa!" Bo lunged forward as Darla's knees gave way. He caught her and lowered her to the ground as Luke ran over. She was out cold. They both knelt over her; Luke examined her forehead. "Looks like she hit the windshield," said Bo.

"She's lucky she didn't go through it, as fast as she was goin'," said Luke. "Listen, cut the sleeves off your shirt; we can use that to bandage her head."

"Got it," said Bo, yanking his shirt off.

I'll call for help; we can't move her in the General." Luke ran for the car as Bo rolled one sleeve into a compress and pressed it to her head. "You hang in there," he said softly, brushing hair away from her eyes. "Help's comin'."

* * *

Down the road, the two men in the truck were listening to Luke call out on the CB for Daisy, Jesse and Cooter to come help with moving Darla and her horses. The driver slammed his fist against the steering wheel. "Dang that orange car! It ruined everything!" he said.

"It was a stupid idea. Just like all the other ones you've come up with," said the man in the passenger seat. He was a scrawny man with a thin nose, shifty eyes, and a host of scars across his face and arms. But his eyes weren't shifting now; they were focused on the man with auburn hair sitting in the driver's seat. He was sweating. "The boss is losing patience, you know," the scrawny man said casually. He pulled a long knife out of a sheath in his boot and started picking under his fingernails with it. "Just how many more chances do you think you're going to get, before the boss gets upset?"

The driver cast a nervous glance in his direction. "Well, we don't know where she is now; we can't go back, and they could take her anywhere," he said. "We need to find that orange car."

* * *

Back at the Duke farm, Daisy pulled up in Dixie, with Bo holding Darla in the back seats. He carried her inside to the couch, marveling at just how small and thin she was. Despite the bumpy drive, she hadn't responded to them. Daisy brought a bowl of warm water and a cloth, and handed them to Bo. "I'll call Doc Applebee," she said, and headed back to the kitchen. Bo perched on the couch next to her and untied the bandage from her head. The pad he'd made with his shirt sleeve was getting soaked. He gently pulled it off and winced at the jagged gash across her forehead. He started sponging the blood off, when he saw her eyelids flutter. "Darla?" He pressed the cloth to her forehead again.

Darla's eyes shot open; quick as a flash, her hand grabbed Bo's wrist. "Ow!" said Bo, startled by her sudden action, and her strength. For being a tiny thing, she had a hell of a grip. She was staring wildly around the room; not recognizing a thing around her, she started to panic and fought to sit up. "Whoa, Darla, calm down!" said Bo, and grabbed her other wrist. "Calm down!" he said again. She promptly kneed him square in the stomach. He grunted and fell to his knees. She tried to get up, but couldn't keep her balance and fell to the rug next to him.

Daisy ran back in. "Darla! Darla honey, it's okay, it's okay!" she said, kneeling next to her. "You're at our farm, the Duke farm. The doctor's on his way, and we're gonna help you. You're safe, everything's all right!"

Darla was sitting up, panting for breath and blinking rapidly, fighting to stay awake. "Treasure!" she gasped.

"What?" Daisy looked at Bo, but he looked just as confused.

"S-Sunken…treasure…" Darla stammered, but she couldn't finish; she slumped over onto Daisy's shoulder and passed out again.

Daisy looked over at Bo, who was still trying to catch his breath. "What did you _do_?" she said reproachfully.

"I didn't do nothin'!" Bo said, coughing. "She woke up a little and panicked, then she kicked me!" He rubbed his stomach. "Maudine could take lessons from her," he said. He lifted Darla in his arms and placed her back on the couch. He wet the cloth and wrung it out, then gently placed it on her forehead again. She didn't react this time. He started dabbing the blood off of her face again. "You've got one heck of a fightin' spirit," he said, smiling a little.

* * *

Luke followed Jesse back to the farm, parked the General Lee by the house and jogged around back to the barn. He heard a shrill whinny as he approached, and the loud _bang_ of a shod hoof hitting the trailer door.

"That dang fool stallion's been pitchin' a fit the whole way back here!" said Jesse, getting out of the pickup. "You'd think he was a long-tailed cat in a room full o' rockin' chairs!" Luke helped him drop the door, then worked his way in between the horses and untied the roan's rope. The horse calmly backed down the ramp and stood by Luke. "Well, you're not upset, are ya boy?" he said.

Jesse chuckled. "Now Luke, I thought you knew the birds and the bees better'n that," he said. "That _he's_ a _she._"

"Oh," said Luke. "Sorry, _ma'am_." The horse snorted in response.

Jesse brought the seal-colored stallion down the ramp. The horse held his head high, and tried to yank the rope from Jesse's hands. "Now, you knock that off!" said Jesse, and yanked back. "You're bein' more ornery than a bobcat with a foot in the trap, and I won't have it, ya hear?"

The stallion rolled an eye down at Jesse, his nose still thrust high in the air, as if to say, "You obviously don't know who the boss is!" Jesse said nothing, just stared back. Finally, the stallion dropped his head.

Luke laughed a little. "I was wonderin' who was gonna win that battle," he said.

"Ya can't back down with a horse like this, or he'll walk all over ya," said Jesse. "I wonder how that little girl in there handles him."

They led the horses into the barn. Maudine the mule looked over the door of her stall, and pricked her long ears at the sight of the newcomers. Maudine usually had one side of the barn to herself, but there were actually four stalls. Luke and Jesse led the horses into stalls on either side of Maudine. The stallion looked around, then put his head over the wall into Maudine's stall.

"Think Maudine'll be okay next to him?" said Luke.

"Are you kiddin'?" said Jesse. "If he's anything less than a gentleman, Maudine'll bite his nose off." Luke laughed. Maudine touched her nose to the stallion's; the seal horse snorted and whickered at the little mule. "See? They're gettin' along just fine," said Jesse. "A racin' horse like that needs a friend to calm him."

"You think they're racehorses?"

"This one is," said Jesse, gesturing to the stallion. "A small head, wide chest, and those long legs, he cain't be anything but a Thoroughbred. And I'll bet he's a fast one, too."

"We'll have to find out," said Luke, "And find out why someone would be willin' to kill 'em, and the driver too."

They came in the back door and found Daisy and Bo in the living room with Doc Applebee. The doctor was busy stitching the gash in Darla's forehead. Bo was still sitting on the edge of the sofa, holding her hand. Luke saw Bo close his eyes and swallow. He was surprised at Bo's stoicism; his cousin hated needles. Getting Bo to get a shot as a kid usually involved both Luke and Jesse having to hold him down. _What kinda girl is this that can make Bo sit through a stitching session?_ Luke thought.

"How's she doin?" asked Luke.

"Well, it could've been worse," Doc answered. He finished the last stitch and started to bandage her head. "The wound is mostly superficial. I gave her a small shot to numb her head a bit while I suture. That'll help with the pain for a few hours. She'll have a headache for a few days, and she may have a slight concussion, but I don't want to move her now. Mostly, she just needs rest. But don't let her sleep too long; if she does have a concussion, she could slip further into unconsciousness. Make sure she gets up once or twice tonight, and call me if you can't wake her."

Suddenly, they heard Cooter's voice coming from the kitchen over the CB. "Breaker one, breaker one, might be crazy but I ain't dumb, Craaazy Cooter lookin' for any Dukes on the Hazzard Net, y'all got yer ears on, come back?"

Luke headed for the kitchen. "This here's Luke, Cooter, what's up?"

"Well, I tell ya, it pains me to see a fine piece of machinery come to this," said Cooter. "It's gonna take me two trips to get this back, one for the truck an' one for the trailer."

"Can ya fix it, Cooter?" asked Luke.

"Shoot, if I can fix the General Lee after some o' your jumps, I can fix this," Cooter fired back. "It's gonna take me a while, though. How's our lady driver doin'?"

"She's still out; when we know more, we'll holler at ya," said Luke.

"Ten-four, good buddy, catch ya on the flipside, I'm gone," said Cooter.

Darla didn't wake up for the rest of the evening. The Dukes finished dinner and went to turn in. Bo settled himself in Jesse's chair, looking at Darla asleep on the couch.

"You gonna stay up for a while?" asked Luke.

"Yeah, I'll say with her for a bit," Bo answered. He was trying to sound nonchalant, but Luke knew he'd probably be there all night. This girl had completely captured him. _And she hasn't even made a pass at him,_ Luke thought. _Maybe that's the appeal._ He looked at Darla. Her breathing was slow, but regular. Her face was pale. "I wonder who she is," he said.

"I wonder who tried to kill her today," Bo replied. He voice was hard.

"They may not have been tryin' to kill her, Bo. They may have been after the horses. Uncle Jesse thinks at least the dark one is a racehorse; that could make them really valuable to someone." _And we'll need to find out who that someone is,_ Luke thought, _'cause I don't think they're done trying to get to her._ "You come get me when you need a rest, okay?" Luke clapped him on the shoulder as he left the room. "Hey, Bo?"

"Yeah?"

"You did good today."

"What?" Bo turned around.

"With her, out on the road today. She was hurt and scared, and wavin' that gun around. Things could've gotten pretty dicey. But you got her to listen; she trusted you." He smirked a little. "Prob'ly the first time I've seen you be the calm one in anything."

Bo smiled a little, but said nothing.

* * *

Bo suddenly started awake and blinked in the lamplight. He was slumped over in Jesse's easy chair, with his head pressed against the wing. He sat up and rubbed the back of his neck.

"You'll get a horrible crick in your neck, sleeping like that."

Bo looked at the couch. Darla hadn't moved from her sleeping position, but her eyes were open. She managed a faint, sleepy smile.

"Hey, you're awake!" Bo smiled; he couldn't believe how relieved he was that she was up and talking. He knelt by the couch. "How long have you been up?"

"About ninety seconds longer than you," she said, and struggled to sit up.

"How are you feeling?" said Bo, helping her.

"Ugh—like I have a four-alarm hangover," she said, wincing. She put a tentative hand to her forehead and looked around. "Where am I?"

"You're at the Duke farm. I'm Bo Duke. Do you remember me?" Bo sincerely hoped she did.

Darla looked at him. "The bank," she said. "You were at the bank. I ran into you."

"Yeah, then you pointed a gun at me, and then you kicked me," said Bo, laughing a little. "You seemed pretty intent on hurtin' someone."

"I did?" She looked mortified. "I'm sorry," she said. I—I don't remember…"

"What's the last thing you do remember?" asked Bo.

She tried to think. "I met you and…your brother?"

"My cousin, Luke, actually," he said, nodding. "Anything else?"

"I went to the feed store, then I was driving out of town." She closed her eyes, concentrating. "I…saw something…something black…in my mirror…" She shook her head. "That's it; that's all I remember."

"It was a black truck you saw. And whoever was drivin' it tried to run you off the road," said Bo. "Me an' Luke saw it. You got quite a knock on the head, so we brought you back here. Doc Applebee fixed you up."

Darla stared blankly at the floor. Suddenly she gasped and looked back at Bo, an unspoken question in her eyes.

"They're fine," Bo reassured her. "Your horses are in our barn. They were shaken up, but they're okay."

"I need to see them." She started to stand up.

"Whoa, hey, no," said Bo, stopping her. "The Doc said you need to rest."

Darla shot him a look; it reminded Bo of the look Daisy often gave the boys when they tried to jump in and protect her. "Well, unless you or the doc are planning on chaining me to this couch," she said, "I'm going out there." She finally stood, and promptly started to sway. Bo caught her in his arms as her knees buckled. They stared into each other's eyes for a minute. Then, slowly, Bo grinned. He bent down and scooped Darla up in his arms.

"Wha-? Hey! Put me down!" said Darla.

"Not a chance," said Bo, moving toward the back door. "You'd wind up crawling out there, and it'd take you all night. This is the easy way."

He walked across the back yard, carrying Darla in his arms. She had her arms crossed, a sulky expression on her face. As much as she hated to admit it, though, she was in no shape to walk more than a few feet. She leaned her head against Bo's shoulder. For some reason, it felt natural for her to do it. Bo couldn't explain it, but it felt natural to him, too.

Inside the barn door, Bo set Darla on her feet and fished for the light. Dim light shown down from the bulbs overhead. The seal-colored stallion put his head over the stall door.

"Treasure," Darla whispered. The stallion pricked his ears forward and whickered at the sound of her voice. Bo helped her walk to him; the stallion nudged her with his nose. She sighed in relief.

"Treasure," she said again, and touched her forehead to his.

"Wait—that's what you meant earlier," said Bo. "That's his name? Treasure?"

"Sunken Treasure," she said, patting the horse's neck. She opened the stall door and started running her hands over the stallion. "Bet you were worried, huh boy?" The stallion shifted his weight toward her. Bo moved to grab the stallion's halter to hold him still, but the horse quickly backed up and threw his nose in the air.

"I wouldn't do that," said Darla, not looking up. "He doesn't like strangers, especially men." Treasure continued to hold his head out of reach. Considering how tall Bo was, that was saying something. The stallion was one of the tallest horses he'd ever seen.

Darla moved to pick up one of Treasure's hooves, but the horse was still eyeing Bo. "Hey!" she said, poking him in the ribs. "Pay attention!"

The effect couldn't have been more immediate. The horse immediately lowered his head and lifted his hoof for her.

"Wow!" said Bo, laughing. Darla looked incredibly tiny next to the huge stallion, but there was no question he was completely under her control. "He sure listens to you, doesn't he?"

"He always has," Darla replied. "That's why I'm the one who races him." She finished checking his hooves and stood up. "You're my special boy, aren't you?" she said, scratching his ear. "Let me check on your girlfriend now, okay?" She closed the stall door. "Netty?" she called softly.

The roan mare did not respond. "Netty?" Darla said again, moving slowly to her stall. The mare was snoozing, her head down, one foot slightly raised. Darla opened the stall door; the mare blinked and raised her head. "Tired, aren't ya, girl?" she said softly, and started checking her over.

"Netty?" Bo asked.

"The Queen's Marionette," said Darla, smiling. "You see why I shortened it." She continued running her hands over the mare. Bo hadn't gotten a good look at her before; she was smaller than Treasure, with a pretty spotted coat, and a smoky gray mane and tail. She was also very rounded. Darla spent a long time feeling the horse's belly. Bo suddenly realized the mare wasn't fat, but pregnant.

"Trailering her any distance right now is hard on her," said Darla. "She seems like she's okay." She patted the mare's neck. "I should stay out here with them."

Bo looked doubtful. "We really should head back to the farmhouse," he said. Darla looked ready to argue, but Bo went on. "Look, you need rest too, and you're not going to get any out here. They'll be just fine. Besides," he grinned, "I don't think I know you well enough to be spendin' the night in the barn with you just yet."

Darla smiled in spite of herself. She looked at Netty and Treasure, and slowly nodded. Bo smiled at her; he couldn't seem to help it. He moved to pick her up again. "Uh-uh," she said, "I'll walk this time."

As they headed back to the farmhouse, Bo kept up a nervous chatter. "So, is anyone gonna be missing you? We couldn't find too much about you in your bag, so we didn't know if we should call anyone. Don't worry, everything's still in there. Including your gun; me an' Luke couldn't touch it, so Uncle Jesse brought it back."

"You couldn't touch it? Why?"

"Well, that's kind of a long story," said Bo with a nervous laugh.

Back inside, Darla laid back down on the couch and put an arm under her head. Bo covered her back up with a blanket as she looked up at him. "That's a long story, too," she said.

"Huh?"

"You want to ask me who I am, where I was headed, and probably something about the horses, too," she said. Bo looked shocked; that was, in fact, exactly what he'd been thinking about. Darla smiled a little. "Your family will have the same questions, and I'd rather not explain twice. You should go to your bed now; sleeping in that chair will make you snore again." She smiled wider as Bo flushed, and closed her eyes. Bo watched her for a few seconds, then turned out the lights.


	3. Staying Power

A bright light was hitting Bo square in the eyes. He squinted and blinked, and saw Luke's empty bed across from him. He sat up; he was back in his own bed. He didn't remember coming back to his room. Sunlight was streaming through the window. That and the clock told him it was well after seven; he'd slept through morning chores. He quickly dressed and headed out to the kitchen. The others were all at the table eating breakfast. Darla was sitting in Bo's usual place next to Daisy. Aside from the bandage on her forehead, she looked okay. Her face lit up when she saw him. He couldn't help but smile back at her. "Good morning," he said to her.

"Hey, he lives!" said Luke, throwing his cousin a teasing look. "I thought you were gonna sleep through lunch, too."

"Gosh, I'm sorry, everyone," said Bo, rubbing his eyes and grabbing the chair at the foot of the table across from his uncle. "I never heard a thing—why didn't y'all get me up?"

"I told them you'd been up until four in the morning watching me, and you deserved to sleep a little," said Darla.

Bo's eyes widened; how did she know that if she was sleeping? Darla just grinned at him as she chewed scrambled eggs.

"More hash browns, Darla?" said Daisy, holding a bowl. It looked like she'd gone all-out this morning.

"Yes, please," said Darla, spooning more onto her plate.

"That's three helpings!" exclaimed Luke. "Where're you puttin' all that?"

"My left leg is hollow," she deadpanned. Then she grinned a little. "Truth is, it's good food and I'm starving."

Bo chuckled. "When's the last time you ate?"

Darla's chewing slowed. "I can't really remember," she said. "I'd been on the road for a few days before I came to Hazzard."

"Wait—you've gone without eatin' for a few _days?_" said Bo.

Darla shrugged. "Cups of coffee, bites at truck stops; that's about it," she said. "I had to keep moving."

"Tryin' to stay ahead of whoever's chasin' ya," said Uncle Jesse quietly. It was a statement, not a question. "You must be runnin' from somethin' serious, if you're willin' to risk movin' those horses over such a distance, especially one that's so far along."

The table grew quiet. Bo, Luke and Daisy all glanced at each other; Uncle Jesse had just laid out the subject they were all curious about. Jesse was watching Darla. The boys and Daisy usually shrank from the look he was giving her; it was the one they'd gotten as kids when Uncle Jesse wanted a straight answer they weren't willing to give.

Darla held his gaze for a while, then sighed. "You're right, mister Duke," she said. "I am running." She looked down. "I've been running for a while, actually."

"Well—look, if you need help—" Bo began.

"I really don't think you _should_ help," said Darla, looking at him. Her eyes were sad. "And I don't think I should say any more." She looked at the rest of them. "You all may be at risk for helping me, if…if whoever's chasing me finds out I'm here. I'm truly grateful for your help, but I think the best thing for all of you would be for me to get my rig and trailer and go."

"Well, that ain't really an option," Luke said slowly.

"That's right," Bo agreed. "You may have forgotten, but you and your rig and trailer lost a pretty serious argument with a tree yesterday." Darla frowned; she _had_ forgotten that.

"Cooter said he can probably fix it, but it may be a while," said Luke.

"Cooter?" Darla gave him a very doubtful look.

The boys smiled. "Don't you worry, Cooter's the best mechanic there is around here," said Bo. "If there's anybody in three counties who can fix that truck of yours, it's him."

"Where were you headed, Darla?" Daisy asked.

"I was taking Treasure to the Atlanta Stakes races," said Darla.

"Shoot, that ain't for a month yet!" said Luke.

"I know," said Darla. "I was hoping to camp out there a while, although now I'm not sure how safe I'd be; I won't be very protected there, especially if someone's looking for me."

"Well now, if it's protection you need, then you should stay here," Bo said eagerly. "We've got plenty of room for you and your horses, and we can protect you as well as anyone."

"I—I don't know, I—"

"Now hold on there, Miss Darla," said Uncle Jesse. "I think Bo here's right. And you need to think about that mare for a minute. She's in no shape to be trailered any distance, not even to Atlanta. And a racetrack's no place for her to drop that foal; she needs a foalin' stall. And a newborn cain't ride in a trailer, anyway. She needs a place to start out as a momma; it might as well be here."

"I think you should stay, Darla," said Daisy. "It's no trouble at all havin' you."

Darla still looked doubtful. "Listen," said Luke. "Uncle Jesse's right, that mare of yours needs a rest. But you do too." He nodded at her forehead. "That was no light knock on the head you took yesterday."

"That's right," Bo agreed. He reached for her hand. "You scared me—us," he said. Darla raised her eyebrows a little; the stumble wasn't lost on her. Bo's cheeks flushed a little at the slip, but went on. "Now, you need a safe place to be, and we can give you that. I promise you, no harm will come to you while you're here. We'll do everything we can to protect all of you."

Darla bit her lip, then appeared to make a decision. She sighed and nodded slowly, looking at Bo. "Okay," she said. "I'll stay."

Bo laughed; his smile lit up the entire room. "Well, all right then!" he said, and squeezed her hand. Darla couldn't help but smile back at him. They stared at each other for a beat too long; Luke cleared his throat loudly. Darla blinked. "I really should get a few things out of my truck though," she said quickly. "I mean, I don't even have a toothbrush here. Everything I have with me is in that trailer."

"Well, we can do that," said Luke.

Darla excused herself as the Dukes finished eating. In the living room, she quickly dug through her bag and found her pistol. She dug some more and found an ankle holster, which she quickly strapped to her leg.

* * *

"Hop on in, Darla," said Bo, gesturing to the General Lee.

"Whoa, what is _this?_" said Darla.

"Well this, Darla," Bo said proudly, putting a hand on the roof, "is the General Lee. You like it?"

"Of course I like it, it's a '69 Dodge Charger!" said Darla, giving the car a long once-over. "Now, _this_ is a muscle machine. Makes for one heck of a stock car, do you race it?"

Bo gave her a surprised smile. "Yeah, we do! The General here's won every race in three counties!"

"What's under the hood?" Darla grinned.

Bo's smile widened; he leaned inside and popped the hood latch. Darla caught the hood and raised it, and looked inside. Her eyes widened a little. "Mopar 440 V8 big block, right?"

Bo looked incredulous. "Um…yeah," he said. "What else can you tell me?"

"Well, it looks like you keep it legal," Darla said. "I don't see any hoses for nitrous." She peered further down into the engine. "I see you've got some serious shocks on this thing. Geez, this engine is huge, how do you work in here?" She leaned in further, trying to see under the air filter. "What have you got for a carburetor, is that an Edelbrock under there?"

"You givin' her pointers on the General's engine, Bo?" asked Luke, joining them under the hood.

"Um…no," said Bo, "I think she's givin' some to me!"

"Oh, I don't know that much," said Darla, smiling. "Let's just say that, in my family, something doesn't always need four hooves to fly." She looked back at Bo. "Can I drive?"

"Umm…"

"I really think you should wait until your head's better, Darla," said Luke, taking one for the team. Darla pouted a little, then went back to the driver's side door, hopped up, swung her legs up and over the door and slid in.

Bo stared at her. "I never told her to do that," he said softly.

Darla grinned at them through the windshield. "What? You said you raced it, I assumed the doors were welded!"

"That's a first," said Luke.

* * *

Meanwhile, the two men driving the Bronco had sought out Boss Hogg at the city office. They'd picked a bad time to bother the commissioner; he was ready for his early-to-mid-morning snack. He was about to dig into a pile of about two dozen sugared donuts. Rosco, as usual, was hovering nearby, hoping for scraps.

"Uh, Mister Hogg," said Enos, poking his head around the office door, "There's two gentlemen out here who say they need to speak with you."

"Yeah, well, tell 'em I'm busy!" Boss barked, a donut in each hand.

The red-haired man and his scrawny counterpart banged the door open and shoved their way past Enos to stand in front of Hogg's desk. Boss looked a bit surprised, but stood his ground.

"We're looking for someone," the red-haired one said.

"Yeah, well, why should that be any concern of mine?" Boss snapped.

"Yeah, why should that be any concern of his?" Sheriff Rosco parroted.

The two men looked at each other. "Okay, we're bounty hunters and we're looking for someone," said Red-hair.

Boss's ears perked up at that. If there was any chance at all that a person in his county could be worth money, he was interested. Of course, he was mostly interested in finding a way to get the money to come his way, rather than bringing anyone to justice. Unless bringing someone to justice made him some money. "Well now," he drawled, his voice turning sickly-sweet, "exactly who're y'all lookin' for, and uh, just what heinous crime would he be charged with, that he'd be worth so much?"

The scrawny man's eyes narrowed. "Uh, of your time, I mean?" Boss continued with a fat grin.

"He's a she, actually," said Red-hair. "We're looking for a girl, fairly short, red hair, driving a blue rig and trailer."

"Oh, I seen that," said Enos. "It was over in front of the Hazzard Bank yesterday."

"Do you know where it is now?"

"Well, I saw Cooter bring it back to his garage last night. I guess the driver got into an accident," said Enos.

"Where is she now, where are the horses she was carrying?" asked Red-hair.

"Well, I don't rightly know that," said Enos, "but I reckon Cooter would have to know, seein' as how he's got the truck and trailer."

"Fine, we'll go stake out this Cooter's place," said Red-hair.

"Now, wait just a minute here," Boss interrupted. "Exactly what is the bounty on this girl for?"

"She's a horse-thief," said Red-hair, "And there's a twenty-five thousand dollar reward for her capture and the return of the horses to their rightful owners."

Scrawny shot a vicious look at Red-hair, but said nothing. Boss's beady eyes bugged. "_Twenty_-f_ive thousand dollars_?" he whispered.

"Twenty-five thousand," said Red-hair, "And we need to catch her quickly, before she disappears again. We've been tailing her all the way from Miami."

"Well now, that'd be fine, except for one tiny little itsy-bitsy problem," said Boss. He had that sickly-sweet tone again, but his eyes were calculating. He suddenly turned stern. "And that is, I have a strict policy of no bounty-huntin' in this here county!"

"Boss, I didn't know you had that policy," said Rosco.

"Dat-dat! Rosco!" Boss snapped.

Red hair's eyes narrowed. "Fine," he said. "We'll give you twenty percent."

"Nope—policy's still in effect, gentlemen."

Red-hair sighed; this was getting old. "All right! Half then, but only if you lend us your sheriff and deputy to help find her."

"Done!" said Boss.

"Ooh—that was a great negotiation there, Boss!" Rosco simpered.

"Shut it, you pea-brain," said Boss, grabbing another donut. "Now git on over to Cooter's garage for a stake-out!"

* * *

As the two men walked down the front steps of the city building, Scrawny grabbed Red-hair by the arm. "What the _hell_ was that about?" he hissed.

"What?"

"You, offering a bounty!" Scrawny almost yelled.

"Relax," said Red-hair. "That fat idiot in there wasn't gonna help us unless we lined his pockets."

Scrawny leaned in closer; his grip on Red-hair's arm tightened. "My boss doesn't pay bounties," he said quietly. "He pays for people's heads, and _only_ when he orders it. You pull any more stupid stunts like that, and he'll be ordering for yours. He's already wondering if you're worth the effort."

Red-hair yanked his arm away. He tried to look angry, but there was fear in his eyes too. "Look, she has to come back for the rig and the trailer sometime," he said. "We can use this bumbler of a sheriff to flush her out, then grab her and be gone. And if they grab her first, it's just a few more bodies to bury. And that shouldn't bother _you_ at all."


	4. Time to Run

Darla's trailer was sticking out of Cooter's garage when the boys and Darla pulled up in the General Lee.

"Hey, Cooter!" Bo called as he climbed out of the General's window; Darla followed.

"Mornin', y'all!" Cooter came out from the front of Darla's rig, smiling as always, wiping his always-dirty hands on his ever-present rag. His eyes widened slightly when he saw Darla. "Well, look whose back among the land of the livin'!"

"Thanks to all of you," said Darla, smiling back at him.

"Cooter, this here's Darla; Darla, this is Cooter Davenport, the best mechanic in Hazzard," said Luke.

"Nice to meet you," said Cooter, offering a hand.

Darla took it. "Likewise," she said. "Bo and Luke tell me you're the one that can get my rig and trailer back among the living?"

"Well, I can, but it's gonna take a while. Y'all come on in," Cooter said, and gestured them inside. They walked around to the front of her rig and got their first real look at the damage.

"Ouch," said Bo.

Darla's grill guard had taken the brunt of the damage, but the driver's side of the front end was mangled. The lights were all shattered from the impact, the bumper was crumpled, and so was the front rim of the hood. Bo tried not to look at the cracked windshield with the brown stain on it.

"Guess it could have been a lot worse," said Darla, leaning in closer.

"Yeah, it coulda been; you coulda been goin' a lot faster," said Cooter. "Most of this is just little stuff, it won't be too hard to bang out," he said, gesturing to the front of the rig. "The trouble is you went over a fallen tree on the side of the road, to hit the tree that's still standin'. That means you got a —" Cooter stopped after that, because Darla had grabbed his skiff and a flashlight, laid down and slid underneath the rig.

"Dang!" was the first thing she said. "Well, my oil pan's toast, I guess; I just about tore that off." The boys and Cooter knelt down and peered underneath as she spoke. "Looks like I tore a line or two too. At least it looks like the block's intact. Now how did I do that, did the oil pan just pop off?" They heard her shuffle around. "Missed the brake lines, that's good. And the skid plate kept me from dropping the tranny—"

"Now, miss, you stop that!" Cooter exclaimed.

Bo and Luke both looked at Cooter. Darla scrooged around to look at them. "What?"

"You keep talkin' like that, an' the boys here are gonna have you tunin' up the General Lee an' I'll lose half my business!"

The boys laughed. "Don't you worry, Cooter," said Bo, "We ain't gonna take our business anywhere else. She's good though, ain't she? You shoulda heard her run down the General's engine earlier!"

From under the car, they heard Darla chuckle. "Like I said to Bo before, Mr. Davenport, just because I can see it doesn't mean I know how to fix it. Doesn't look like I got any bad surprises, though." She slid back out and held a hand out to Bo. He pulled her to her feet, but didn't let go of her hand. "You sure surprised me," he said.

"I'm full of surprises that way," she said dryly. "Now, let me grab some things from the trailer cabin."

"Can I help?" Bo asked eagerly.

Darla smiled and nodded. "I guess; I don't have much." Then she took a good look at the front of the trailer. "Oh, geez," she moaned.

"Yeah, that's the other thing I was gonna mention," said Cooter, as he and Luke walked over. The trailer's crossbars and hitch were completely mangled. The bar just behind the hitch was creased and bent almost forty-five degrees, and the crossbars were twisted and cracked. There was a clean-cut line on the back of Darla's truck where her trailer hitch used to be.

"When you hit the tree, the trailer didn't come loose; it just bent right here," said Cooter, indicating the creased part. "Everything just went helter-skelter from there. I had to cut the trailer loose from your rig to move it."

"I guess you probably can't fix this, can you?" said Darla glumly.

"Well, not exactly. The good news is you didn't bend the frame on the rig or the trailer, so I can just cut the crossbar off and weld a new one," said Cooter. "The bad news is, I ain't gonna find a crossbar like this here in Hazzard. I'll have to call around Capitol City or Atlanta, an' see what I can find."

"Well, you make whatever calls you need to, Mr. Davenport; you won't need to worry about getting paid," said Darla.

"Please, call me Cooter," said Cooter, grinning. "Mister Davenport makes me sound way too old!"

Darla grinned. "Cooter, then," she said as she popped the side door on the trailer and disappeared inside; Bo followed her in.

Cooter shook his head, grinning. "If they build 'em all like that in Kentucky, I might have to pick up an' move," he said.

"I'm not convinced she really is from Kentucky," Luke said quietly.

"Whaddya mean?"

"We had a couple of guys from Louisville in my Marine unit," said Luke, "And she don't talk like they did. I mean, _sometimes_ she does, but other times…I dunno, she clips some words, and she rolls her 'r's a little. She might be from Kentucky, but...I don't think we've gotten the whole story with her yet."

"'Specially if you still don't know who ran her off the road yesterday," said Cooter.

"You got that right," Luke agreed.

* * *

"You _live_ in here?" said Bo, looking around. The front compartment of Darla's trailer was bigger than their bathroom at the Duke farm, but not by much. "Where do you sleep?"

"On this," she said, and handed Bo a fold-up camp cot. "When I'm not sleeping in the truck bed or Treasure's stall at a racetrack, anyway." She looked around and grabbed a small suitcase, a duffel bag, and a rolled-up nylon bag that reminded Bo of Uncle Jesse's old shotgun sling. Then she reached up and unhooked a small cabinet. She fished around in the small space, then withdrew a bottle half-full of an amber liquid.

Bo smiled a little. "Medicinal purposes?"

"Doesn't everyone need that?" Darla said. There was barely room to move with the two of them in the cramped space, and Darla tripped as she turned around. Bo dropped the cot to catch her. For a second, they just stared at each other, like they had the night before. Bo had a couple of crazy thoughts about kissing her run through his head, but then he heard Luke's footsteps behind him. "You guys all right?" he said.

"Um—yeah," Bo said quickly, reaching down to grab the cot. He ignored Luke's questioning look as he stepped out of the trailer. Darla took another look around the tiny space, then followed Bo out.

"As soon as I find the parts for the trailer, I'll give y'all a holler, okay?" said Cooter, as they put Darla's things in the trunk of the General Lee.

"Thanks, Cooter!" said Bo. He slammed the trunk shut and headed around to the driver's side. Darla was standing there, looking for all the world like a little girl about to ask for a piece of candy, knowing full well that it would spoil her dinner.

Bo couldn't help but smile at her expression. "What?"

Darla bit her lip. "My head really is feeling better," she said.

Bo laughed. "All right, all right—you can drive," he said.

"Thank you!" Darla jumped and clapped her hands as he swung his legs over the door. Luke was already in the passenger seat, shaking his head and trying to hide a smile.

"What?" asked Bo.

"Nothin,'" said Luke, letting his smile widen. _He's letting her drive? This has got to be a first! He's hooked,_ Luke thought. Darla slid in the window and practically bounced in the seat as she started the General. But as she cranked the engine, they heard a faint siren. Bo and Luke twisted around to look behind them, and saw Rosco's patrol car coming toward them from a block away.

"It's Rosco!" Bo exclaimed. "Now what in the heck does he want?"

"We ain't done anything today, have we?" asked Luke.

"Who is it?" asked Darla, turning around to look.

"It's Rosco, our excuse for a sheriff," said Bo.

"Yeah, and he's usually lookin' for an excuse to arrest us Dukes," Luke added.

Darla's expression darkened as the sheriff's patrol car moved to cut them off. "Arrest you? What for?" she asked.

Luke said, "Who knows, he'll think of a reason by the time he gets here. This is sort of a normal thing for us."

"Listen, Darla, I think we'd better take a rain check on you driving—" Bo bit off whatever else he was going to say, because Darla floored the General and tore out of Cooter's parking lot, skidding around Rosco and taking off around the town square.

"Ooh! Ooh! There they go, there they go!" Rosco exclaimed as he tore out after them. He reached for the CB. "Boss! Boss, this is sheriff Ros-co P. Col-trane, an' I'm in hot pursuit o' them Duke boys!"

In the city office, Boss grabbed his mic. "The Duke boys? Rosco, you dodo, what the heck're you chasin' them for for? I told you to stake out Cooter's garage and nab that dang horse thief!"

"That's what I'm fixin' to do, Boss!" Rosco yelled back. "I done found that horse thief, and she's with them Dukes!"

"What? _WHAT_? Oh, that's marvelous, that's marvelous!" Boss yelled, laughing. "I can get the bounty on that horse thief, and I can get all them Dukes for aidin' and abettin!" Boss threw the mic down and laughed more. "Oh, this is my red-letter day!" he cackled.

Bo and Luke were both staring at Darla. They'd heard the exchange between Rosco and Boss. "Horse thief?" exclaimed Bo.

"No!" Darla said, keeping her eyes on the road as she drifted around a corner. "Look, I'm not a thief! Those horses are my family's! Please, I can explain, but not while I'm trying to run from him!" She jerked a thumb behind her.

The boys looked at each other. "You know if we pull over now, Rosco'll haul all of us in," said Luke.

"Yeah, you got that right," said Bo. He quickly scanned the streets ahead of them. "Turn right here."

"What?"

"Right! NOW!"

Darla cranked the wheel and flew around another corner. Luke looked behind them. "We're gonna have to get outta town if we wanna lose Rosco," he said.

"Better add Enos to that," said Bo with a rueful smile as he saw Hazzard's other squad car fall in behind Rosco. "Here he comes."

They sped out of town with Rosco and Enos following behind them. Whether it was from skill or adrenaline, at least Darla could drive. She quickly got a feel for the General Lee and had it flying down the dirt roads.

Red-hair and Scrawny, meanwhile, were listening in on the CB chatter. Red-hair grabbed the mic. "Listen up, Sheriff," he said. "You remember our deal; you and your boss get half the bounty on this girl if you help us round her up."

"I know it, I know it, I'm in hot pursuit!" Rosco yelled back. "Ooohh, this is gonna be a great day for my little fat buddy!"

"_Bernardo?_" Darla breathed.

"A bounty, now?" said Bo.

"Well, that explains Boss's interest," said Luke.

"Oh, this just keeps gettin' better an' better!" Bo exclaimed, and looked over at Darla. She was still staying ahead of Rosco, but her eyes hadn't moved from the CB box. "Bernardo," she murmured again. "Give me the mic," she said. Bo looked puzzled, but handed it to her. She said, "Listen,sheriff—I don't know what your deal-makers promised you, but _I_ can promise you this; they'll never keep their word." She paused for a second. "_Y Bernardo, en caso de que usted, nunca tendrá la línea de sangre de mí, ¿etiendes?" _She threw the mic down and drove on.

"I thought your accent was a little off for a Kentuckian," said Luke.

"Well now, wait a minute, what did you just say?" Bo exclaimed. He tried to run through what she'd said, but high school Spanish class was a long time ago, and he'd never done well in it. Darla just shook her head.

Luke suddenly sat up straighter. "Bo, we're on Stone Canyon Road," he said quickly.

"So?"

"So, we're comin' up on Cedar Creek!"

_"So?"_

_"So, there ain't no bridge on Cedar Creek!"_ Luke yelled. "Not here!"

"WHAT?" Darla shrieked. She took her foot off the gas.

"No, hit the gas!" said Bo.

"What?"

_"Floor it!"_ Bo yelled, and jammed his foot down over hers on the accelerator. The General Lee jumped forward.

"Are you_ loco?"_ Darla yelled.

"Some people say so!" said Bo, and turned the wheel a little. "Now, you see that outcroppin' there? Head straight for that, don't turn!"

"What? _No!" _Darla squealed.

"We do this all the time, Darla! Trust me!"

"I can't believe we're doin' this!" said Luke, and braced himself.

Darla screamed as the General Lee flew over Cedar Creek and landed with a huge _thud_ on the other side. The back end careened to the right, but Darla managed to turn into it, and brought the General to a skidding stop. Bo and Luke looked back over their shoulders. Rosco locked up his tires and _almost_ stopped before he got to the creek. His front tires slipped over the edge. But Enos didn't hit the brakes in time, and managed to knock Rosco over into the creek bed.

"Enos, you dipstick!" they faintly heard him yell as he struggled to get out of the car.

They turned back around and just stared ahead for a minute. Bo said, "Luke, has anyone ever jumped the General Lee before that _didn't_ have the name Duke?"

"Just one," said Luke, remembering the time Lulu Hogg did it. They both looked at Darla. Lulu, at least, had had more fun when she'd done a jump. Darla was staring straight ahead, her face was chalk-white, and so were her knuckles; her hands were still firmly clenched around the steering wheel.

"Um—Darla? You can let go now," said Bo.

_"Madre de Dios," _Darla breathed. "What the _hell_ did I just do?"

Bo fought back a smile, remembering the first time he'd ever jumped the General Lee. "Can I drive now, please?" he asked quietly. Darla didn't answer, just nodded.

"C'mon, let's go," said Luke. "It's just a matter of time before they show up at the farm."

Rosco called Boss from Enos's patrol car. "Uh, Boss, this is sheriff Ros-co P. Col-trane callin', uh…uh, them Duke boys, well, uh, they got away…" he said.

"What? _What?_" Boss yelled back. "Oh, no no no, not today they didn't! Not today! Rosco, you git out to the Duke farm, and you arrest all them Dukes and that horse thief, ya hear?"

Red-hair and Scrawny were still listening to the CB from their hiding place in town. Scrawny grabbed the mic this time. "Who're these Dukes you keep talking about, Hogg?"

"Oh, they'se a family o' trouble here in Hazzard county," said Boss. "If'n there's any trouble at all, them Dukes'll be smack in the middle of it!"

"Where're they at, Hogg?"

"They got a farm down on the south end o' Hazzard, down on Old Mill Road," Boss answered.

Scrawny put the mic down. "Time to pay these Dukes a visit."

* * *

Daisy was out hanging wash on the line when the General Lee came tearing back into the yard. Bo slid to a stop and pulled himself out, then pulled Darla out after him. "All right," he said to her, as Luke climbed out the passenger side, "You said you could explain all this, now you better start explainin'!"

"What's going on?" Daisy looked at Luke as she asked.

"Well, from the sound of things, whoever's on Darla's tail is still here, and now they've got Boss and Rosco helpin' 'em," Luke began. "They're talkin' about a bounty bein' on her head for horse thievin'!"

"What?" Daisy exclaimed, as Jesse came outside.

Darla ignored all of them. As Luke repeated what they'd just heard on the CB, she popped the General's trunk and unrolled the nylon bag. Bo was right; it did look like Uncle Jesse's old gun sling. Darla grabbed a shotgun and two shells and quickly loaded up.

"Whoa, what are you doin'? Gimme that!" said Luke. He tried to grab the shotgun out of her hands.

"Stop it!" Darla tried to wrestle it back.

"Luke, you leave her alone!" Bo tried to shove Luke away.

"Give it here!"

"No!"

"Let her go!"

"That's _enough!_" Uncle Jesse yelled. "Now break it up, all of ya!" He yanked the gun out of Darla's hands and used it to push Bo and Luke apart before fists started swinging. "Now park your tempers for a minute!" he yelled at the boys, eyeing both of them. Bo and Luke glared at each other for a second but backed down. He then turned his gaze to Darla. "You've just gotten my nephews into a heap of trouble," he said. They all heard the anger simmering in his gravelly voice. "Now if you don't want us to turn you over to Rosco as soon as he shows up—which he's bound to do any second now—then you better start tellin' us who you are, who them horses belong to, who you're runnin' from, and just what in tarnation's goin' on!"

Before Darla had the chance to say anything, they saw Enos's patrol car coming up the road. Luke looked grim. "That didn't take long," he muttered.

Bo went to put an arm around Darla, but as soon as she saw the patrol car, she bolted for the barn. She was quick, but Bo was faster and caught her before she'd made it half a dozen steps. "Now, hold it!" he yelled, and grabbed her around the waist.

"You _idiota loco_, lemme go!" she screeched. Bo lifted Darla up off her feet (not hard to do, seeing as he was so much taller) and dragged her back to the General. She kicked him in the shin, but he held on.

"Stop a second!" he yelled at her, but she fought him, trying to break his grip. Given how strong she was, she very nearly succeeded. But she had nothing on Bo in size; he shoved himself up against her and pinned her to the side of the General; her toes barely touched the ground.

_"Stop!"_ he shouted. Panting, Darla finally ceased her struggles. Bo looked down at her; she looked like a frightened rabbit that had exhausted itself trying to get loose from a trap. Bo's resolve wavered for a second, but he had to know. "Now you got about ten seconds before Rosco gets here, so I'm askin' you, right now, and I want the truth: Are you runnin' from the law?"

She quickly shook her head. "No!" she whimpered.

Bo relaxed his grip and set her on her feet, but didn't let go of her. He looked over his shoulder; Enos had pulled up in front of the house. He turned back to Darla. "That black truck that ran you off the road," he began, "there were two guys in it. Are you runnin' from them?"

Darla nodded; tears threatened in her eyes. "Please," she said, "They're after me, and they're after Treasure and the bloodline. They'll kill me if they get their hands on me, and they'll take the bloodline, and I can't let that happen! _Please!_"

"Okay, okay, shh, I believe you," he said. He pulled Darla into an embrace. "Shhh, it's all right," he murmured to her. Not much of what she's just said made sense, but he didn't doubt her. He looked over at the others. "Y'all can do what you want," he said, "but I promised that no harm would come to her as long as she was here, and I aim to keep my word."

The others looked at each other. "We need to listen, y'all," said Daisy.

"I think there's more to this here story," said Jesse, "an' we need to hear it 'fore we make any decisions."

Luke was still doubtful, but he knew Bo wasn't going to budge. It had been quite a while since he and Bo had exchanged blows over a girl, and he had no desire to do it again. And Darla was right about one thing—whoever was chasing her was serious about doing her harm. "You're right, Uncle Jesse," he finally said. "We need to hear the whole story. All of it," he added, eyeing Darla. Darla looked at Luke from Bo's arms; she'd heard the threat. Bo heard it too; he said nothing, but his arms tightened around Darla.

"Don't you worry, Darla," said Daisy. "We'll listen, and we'll do whatever we can to help you."

* * *

Rosco was yelling before he even got out of the car. "Awright, freeze!" he yelled, getting out and slamming the door. He brandished his pistol at the Dukes as he walked up. "Just freeze, freeze, freeze, ever'body freeze!" He was beside himself with joy at catching Darla with the Dukes. "Well, looky here; I me a horse thief, and a buncha horse-thief aiders an' abetters, khew khew!" he said. "Awright, now yer all under arrest, all o' ya! Now jus' get a move on!"

Bo positioned himself between Rosco and Darla. "Now you wait just one minute, Rosco," he said, "you ain't takin' her anywhere, not 'til you hear her side of the story!"

"Rosco," said Jesse, "There's somethin' goin' on here, and we don't know the whole story. But whoever these people are that're chasin' her, they're obviously dangerous men."

Luke chimed in. "Uncle Jesse's right—they could've killed Darla, runnin' her off the road the way they did, and the horses too. Why would they do that? If these guys were really bounty hunters, they'd want her alive, and they'd want the horses unharmed."

Daisy looked at Enos. "Enos," she pleaded, "you know that no Duke would ever give safe harbor to no horse thief."

"Well, I believe ya, Daisy, but I'm under orders," Enos said, looking worried. He had to admit, Luke had a point. He'd dealt with a few bounty hunters in Los Angeles, and their first rule was, you brought bounties back alive, or you didn't get paid. The whole "dead or alive" mentality was long gone.

"Yeah, you're under Boss's orders," said Bo, "and all he cares about is money! He don't care at all about Darla here!" He looked back at Rosco. "Now Rosco, how can you and Boss be so sure them two guys are tellin' the truth and Darla's the one lyin'?"

"Will you _hush?_" yelled Rosco indignantly. "All y'all hush! You been taken in by this here master criminal, that's what it is! You've always been a sucker for a pretty girl, Bo, ever'body knows that, now come on, 'cause I'm cuffin' and stuffin' all o' ya!"

Darla slumped over. Bo moved to catch her, but instead of hitting the ground, she shoved at him with all her strength. Bo staggered back as she spun, grabbed her pistol from her ankle holster, rose and pointed it straight at Rosco. "Dgitdgit!" the sheriff stuttered.

"Don't try it, deputy!" she barked as Enos reached for his gun. "Put it through your left hand and drop it!"

"Not 'til you drop yours," Enos fired back. He didn't draw, but he didn't remove his hand from his weapon either. Rosco was still standing there with his hands raised.

"I'm really not in the mood to be argued with, deputy," said Darla, and cocked the gun hammer back. "Drop it! Now!"

Enos realized he had no choice, and tossed his pistol to her.

"Darla, _what are you doing_?" Bo hissed.

"Holdin' the Sheriff at gunpoint ain't likely to make him listen, Darla," Luke added.

"Yes, well, this Sheriff—Rosco, is it?—doesn't exactly strike me as being the listening type," Darla snapped. In spite of the situation, Bo had to fight back a snicker; Darla had only been in Hazzard for a day, and she already had Rosco figured out.

Darla's gaze didn't waver from Rosco. "I'm much more than a pretty girl, Sheriff," she said. "I'm a pretty girl with a gun, who's spent months trying to save my family's legacy, trying to stay a step ahead of people who will stop at nothing to take it from me! And if you turn me over to them, I'll be dead before dawn. Now, these men who came to you and your Boss, what did they tell you?"

Rosco was still speechless. Darla suddenly swung her arm and pointed her pistol at Enos. All the Dukes stiffened at that; Daisy gasped. "Tell me! NOW!" Darla shouted.

Enos gasped and squeezed his eye shut, and the words started tumbling out of him. "Two guys came to see Mister Hogg this mornin' and they said they was bounty hunters and that you was a horse thief and that there was a twenty-five thousand dollar price on your head and they'd give Mister Hogg half if me an' the sheriff came out here to arrest you!"

Darla didn't move, but she appeared to steady herself before she spoke again. "And one of them had hair like mine," she said quietly. It was a statement, not a question.

Enos looked at her long braid, and looked surprised. "Well, yes ma'am, he sure did."

Darla closed her eyes; Bo saw her jaw clench. She really did slump this time, leaning against the General Lee, and dropped the gun. "I can't run," she said in a broken whisper. She hid her face in her hands, shaking.

"Hey," Bo said softly, going back over to her. "I promised you, nothing would happen to you here—"

"You don't understand," she said, not looking up. "If Bernardo is here in Hazzard, then he's getting desperate. And if he's willing to risk Treasure's life, then he's definitely willing to kill me. He'll stop at nothing, even if it means risking the bloodline I'm protecting. And now all of you may be in danger for trying to protect me, because I can't get away from him!"

"Shhh," Bo whispered, and wrapped his arms around her again. She clung to him tightly. The whole thing about the bloodline still didn't make sense, but no one could doubt her fear.

Jesse looked at Rosco; his eyes narrowed. "Rosco," he growled, "you ain't got no warrant; you ain't even got no probable cause to arrest this girl, or any of us Dukes for that matter. All you got is the word of two complete strangers, who could very well be crooks themselves. And since she's on _my_ land, it's _my_ decision whether she stays or goes, and I say she stays!"

"Dgit—well—ooh," Rosco stuttered, but Jesse ignored him. "Now," he said to all of them, "I suggest we all go inside, sit down, and listen to Darla's story."


	5. The Whole Truth

Bernardo and his scrawny counterpart slowed on the road and peered through the trees and bushes at the Duke farm. Darla's bright hair stood out next to the tall blond that had his arms around her. The white-haired old man was arguing with the sheriff; he was practically nose-to-nose with him. Then he turned to say something to everyone. They started walking inside, the farmer's family and the lawmen both. "What, are they sitting down for a pow-wow now?" Scrawny said sarcastically.

"I figured she'd be barricading the barn about now," said Bernardo. "Either way, we can't get to her without storming the house."

Scrawny looked intrigued by that. "We could storm the barn, though," he said. "If that stallion's in their barn, we can grab him while they're inside. We separate her from him, and we'd have some leverage. If she wants to preserve this bloodline of hers so badly, she'll cave if we hold that stallion of hers for ransom." He smiled a little. "Of course, holding her would be a great deal more fun." Bernardo looked sideways; he looked uneasy at those words, but said nothing.

* * *

In the Dukes' small living room, Daisy served everyone coffee, while Jesse made an herbal tea mixture for Darla. "This'll help calm your nerves, Darla," he said, handing her a mug with a smile.

"Thank you," she said quietly. She still looked upset as she sipped the drink, wincing a little at the strong, bittersweet taste. "Woodruff and chamomile," she said. Jesse nodded, impressed.

Bo accepted coffee from Daisy. He sat close to Darla on the love seat, with one arm still around her. Darla took another sip of her tea, then realized everyone was staring at her.

"Um—well, Darla," said Bo, "As they say, the floor is yours."

Darla looked down. "I really don't know where to begin," she said.

"Why don't you start with your name," said Luke. "Your real name—'cause I'm willin' to bet it's not Darla."

"Luke!" Bo exclaimed.

"No, Bo, he's right," said Darla, looking at Luke. She smiled at him a little. "Your cousin is astute." She took a deep breath and said, "Darla is what just about everyone calls me, but it's my nickname. My real name is Dayanira." She paused, then said, "Dayanira Antonella Verdes."

Daisy's eyes widened a little. "Wait—you're Dayanira Verdes? _That_ Dayanira Verdes? One of the last debutantes of Lexington?"

"Wait—you know her?" said Bo, looking incredulous.

"No, but I'll bet she reads the society magazines," said Darla.

The boys both looked at their cousin. "Well, I pick them up at the beauty parlor and the dentist office, just like everybody else!" Daisy said defensively.

"So you really are from Kentucky?" asked Luke.

Darla nodded. "I'm part of the Lexington Verdes family; one of the horse-racing family names in Lexington. My family owns Treasure Green Farm. We control the Verdes stallion bloodline, an unbroken Spanish line that goes back almost six hundred years." There was a note of pride in her voice as she finished.

"You're Spanish?" Bo asked. He looked doubtful. "How can you be from Spain with that red hair of yours?"

"Well, my mother's Irish," said Darla, "and she was a redhead too. But, my family is also descended from the _Gitanos_—the Spanish gypsies. They're also known for their red hair. There are a lot of people with the Verdes name that have it.

"The _Gitanos_ were also known for their horses, many centuries ago. They crossed their gypsy horses and ponies with the Spanish Andalusians, and created an unbeatable racing bloodline." Darla's accent grew a little thicker as she spoke. "According to our family stories, after the American War of Independence, the King of Spain tried to force my ancestor to sell his stallions to the Spanish Crown. The King had debts to pay, and he was tired of losing money to the _Gitanos_ on races. My ancestor refused, and the King had him imprisoned. He probably would have simply taken the stallions for himself, but my ancestor's son and the rest of the family escaped with their horses and came to America. And we've kept the bloodline ever since.

"For two centuries, the Verdes have kept the firstborn son of every new generation, to make sure the bloodline stays unbroken." Darla gestured toward the barn, visible through the window. "Sunken Treasure is the latest firstborn. He's a direct descendent of the original Verdes Spanish stallions. He was given to me by my father when I came of age; the first time a woman has ever been given the gift of the bloodline."

"And that's what this Bernardo is after? He's after Treasure?" asked Bo.

"To have a stallion like that, with such a proven history, that would have to be awfully powerful in the racing world," said Luke.

"Yes, but that's not really why Bernardo's after Treasure," said Darla. "I'm afraid there's a lot more to it than that. You want to know why I asked if one of the people chasing me had hair like mine?" She looked down. "Bernardo is my _tio_—my uncle."

All the Dukes looked shocked. "Your _uncle_?" exclaimed Daisy.

"Your own kin is chasing you?" Bo looked incredulous. "Well, where in the heck is the rest of your family? Why aren't they helpin' you?"

Darla dropped her head. Luke's expression changed; he seemed to have figured something out. "They're gone, aren't they?" he said softly. They saw one tear trickle down Darla's cheek as she nodded slowly. They were all silent. Bo put his other arm around her. "I'm sorry," he whispered. He couldn't think of anything else to say.

Darla finally looked up and went on. "My father was the elder son of my _Abuelito_, my grandfather. It was always known that Papa would inherit the farm and the operation one day, and someday, my older brother Jonas would inherit it from him. I've never worried about my place in the family; it's never mattered to me that I wouldn't own Treasure Green. But it always bothered Bernardo. He always resented his place in the family. He felt shut out by Abuelito, I guess. He always felt he should have at least half a stake in the farm, but Abuelito refused. He called Bernardo an _oveja negra—_a black sheep. I never really knew why; I guess Bernardo got into a lot of trouble when he was younger.

"Eventually, Bernardo started betting heavily on horse races, and got into a lot of debt and a lot of trouble with loan sharks. That got him in trouble with the mob. When I was eighteen, Bernardo tried to steal a couple of our horses to pay off a gambling debt. But he got caught." Darla's eyes seemed to cloud over as she remembered something; she shook her head and shuddered. "Abuelito went crazy. He cursed Bernardo's name, and that means something to the _gitanos_. He called Bernardo a disgrace and banished him from the farm, told him to never come back. He cut Bernardo out of his will and never spoke of him again.

"Abuelito died about eighteen months ago. Bernardo showed up at the funeral. We were surprised, but Papa let him stay. He'd always considered Bernardo family, even if Abuelito didn't. He looked horrible; he'd done more than one stint in jail by then. Bernardo told my father he needed money. He was in debt to a mobster named Harold King. Papa said—"

"Wait," Enos interrupted. "Harold King? That East Coast mob boss?"

"You've heard of him?" asked Bo.

Enos nodded; he looked worried. "He belongs to one of them big New York crime families, but we still heard about him in L.A. He likes to have folks call him King Herod."

"King Herod?" Bo sounded confused. He tried to think of where he knew the name. "Wait a second, ain't that the guy in the Bible—"

"That ordered the beheading of John the Baptist," Luke finished.

Enos nodded; he looked grim. "I guess nobody's been able to prove it, but the story is, if Harold King orders someone killed, he has their heads brought to him on a platter."

Everyone looked horrified, including Darla. "I didn't know that part," she said in a small voice.

"A guy like that, he'd be enough to scare anyone," said Luke.

"Now why would anyone go to a monster like that for money?" asked Bo. "That makes Boss Hogg sound like a saint!"

"Either he didn't know exactly who he was borrowing money from, or he was so desperate to gamble that he didn't care," said Darla. "He's a full-blown addict when it comes to gambling. Anyway, Bernardo begged Papa for money to pay him off. Papa was sympathetic, but refused." She paused for a second. "I think Papa still loved Bernardo as his brother, but he also knew that Bernardo was never going to change. And the horsemen of Kentucky have no love for the mob. Papa wasn't going to risk letting a crime lord get his hooks into Treasure Green, even if that meant leaving Bernardo twisting in the wind.

"Anyway, Papa said he was not going to give Bernardo anything if it was going to end up in the hands of the mob. Bernardo started yelling, they started fighting, and Papa had him thrown out. But as he left, he screamed at my father that he'd get what he was entitled to, and Papa had better prepare to lose it all."

Darla swallowed. "About a month later, one of our barns caught fire." Her voice started to shake. "I'd gone to a friend's house that night; I wasn't home. I should have been there. They were trying to put the fire out, but Papa, Mama and Jonas all ran inside, to try and let the horses loose." She closed her eyes; tears slid down her cheeks as she whispered, "They never came out."

Daisy put her hand over her mouth; her own eyes brimmed with tears. Luke, Jesse and Bo looked anguished; even Enos and Rosco looked troubled. Darla wiped her eyes and went on in a dead voice. "The next day, we were trying to sort out all the wreckage and account for the horses that were housed in that barn. My mother's family was there, some of our friends, police, fire, everything. Suddenly, Bernardo was there." She shook her head; anger started to cloud her features. "I saw him before he saw me. He had this…this smug look on his face, like everything was coming together for him. Then he saw me." She looked up. "His face went absolutely white; he was completely terrified to see me standing there. I knew—I knew right then that he'd caused the fire. Either he'd done it himself, or he'd had someone do it.

"He'd been counting on all of us dying in that fire, but I wasn't there. And because of that, he still couldn't get his hands on Treasure Green, or our family's money."

"Well now, wait a minute," said Bo. "I don't mean to sound cruel, but what difference would it make if you survived, when your granddad already cut Bernardo out of his will?"

Darla smiled a little. "Because Bernardo was only cut out of _Abuelito's_ will," she said. "But he was never cut out of anyone else's, including Papa's. Papa's will stated that everything would pass to Jonas, or to me. But it never addressed what would happen if _all_ of us were to die. If all of us were wiped out, everything would go through probate. And since Bernardo would be the only one left standing with the name of Verdes, everything would go to him." She paused. "That means, the only thing standing between a gambling addict in debt to the mob, and the entire Verdes family fortune, is me. Without me, the entire Verdes racing and breeding operation, the farm, and a bloodline that had stood for six centuries, falls into the hands of the mob. I'm the last remaining descendent of the Verdes family, and I can't let that happen."


	6. Run 'em In

Everyone was quiet for a few minutes after Darla finished her story. Bo spoke first. "Well, Darani—I mean, Dala—"

"Dayanira Antonella," said Darla, smiling. "And it's Darla; always has been."

"Well, that sure is one heck of a burden to have on your shoulders, Darla; sorry, I know that probably doesn't even begin to cover it," Bo said quietly. The others nodded in agreement.

Darla looked tired, but smiled a little. "You know, you're the first people I've told the entire story to. I haven't really talked about the night of the fire since it happened. It wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be."

"There's a couple things I don't quite understand though," said Luke. Rather than distrustful, though, he looked interested. "You said you're descended from the Spanish gypsies, but you talk like you were born to them. Has your family really kept up with the Spanish ever since coming to America?"

Darla's smile widened. "Actually, yes, we have, but there's a reason," she said. "Our ancestors didn't want us to lose our connections with the old country, so many of the Verdes sons have gone back to Spain to live for a while. They frequently brought brides back with them. Abuelito was the last one to go back, and he brought Abuelita back with him. She never spoke much English, so we all learned Spanish. Eventually we just started speaking it to each other, too." She giggled a little. "Of course, my mother's whole family is Irish, and it was her grandparents who first came here, so their accent's still really thick. She learned Spanish, but she was impossible to understand!"

Luke nodded. "So, what made you leave? I mean, I could see why you might want to leave after everything that happened, but it doesn't seem like you left by choice. Why take Treasure and Netty and run?"

Darla said, "Because if I hadn't, I probably wouldn't have lasted this long. I knew I was being watched. Some of the workers were getting harassed; I'm sure a few were threatened into quitting. And…yesterday wasn't the first time I've been run off the road. It happened to me in Kentucky, too. It was just a matter of time before someone got to me. After all, Bernardo still owes Harold King, and he isn't going to wait for his money forever. But just getting his money back from Bernardo wouldn't be enough for him now, anyway; he's set his sights on Treasure Green. Killing me would be little more than a business decision to him, especially if it meant getting his hands on a multi-million dollar horse breeding operation.

"And unless I miss my guess, King's turning the screws on Bernardo. I haven't seen him in months; he was in jail when I left. King probably found a way to get him out. It's King's men I've been trying to stay ahead of all this time. If Bernardo's on my tail, it's because King put him there, probably to 'convince' me to give him a stake in Treasure Green." Her eyes glazed over for a second. "I've already had a taste of Harold King's method of convincing; I don't need another one."

"So, I left. I took Treasure and Netty and headed for a friend's farm in Florida. I stayed on the Florida circuit, raced Treasure under a false name, and tried to stay a step ahead of Harold King. I've been doing it for about a year now."

Enos spoke up. "Well, I can see why you'd want to hide Treasure, seein' as he's the key to your family's bloodline an' all, but why bring Netty along, too?"

Darla hesitated. Bo suddenly sat up; he looked like he'd just understood something. Darla looked up at him; he reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's okay," he said. "You've trusted us this far, you can trust us with this, too."

Darla looked back at them. "Netty is a _very_ well-kept secret," she said. "She's in foal to Sunken Treasure. She's carrying the next generation of the bloodline." She smiled a little, remembering. "It wasn't planned; Treasure had been carrying a torch for Netty ever since Jonas bought her and brought her to Treasure Green. He was always good at getting out of his paddock, and one morning, we found him in Netty's paddock."

"Sounds like it was true love," said Bo. They all smiled a little at that.

Darla went on. "I couldn't leave her; if word got out there was another generation of the bloodline, Treasure's life would be forfeit. And he's been my life insurance, in a way. Treasure's sire was killed in the fire, and his sire had already died. So, everyone thinks Sunken Treasure is the only remaining descendant of the bloodline. Harold King wouldn't dare harm him; our farm's worth is tied to those stallions. I was counting on that to keep me safe, too. Only two other people know that Netty's in foal to Treasure, aside from you all, but she's gotten so big now, it's obvious she's pregnant, and sooner or later King will find out."

Uncle Jesse looked thoughtful. "So, who's runnin' your farm with you an' all your family gone? A big operation like that, ya cain't just up an' leave."

Darla said, "My cousin Connor; my mother's nephew. He studied equine management in college. Papa had a notion to hire him anyway if he did well enough in school; he's running things for me until I figure something out."

"Here's what I don't understand," said Daisy. "I recognized you, or at least your name, and I don't know the first little thing about horse racin'. But all them folks at the Florida racetracks, they'd have to know who you are."

"Some of them do; others figure it out," said Darla. "But like I said, horse owners have no love for the mob, and that's just as true in Florida as it is in Kentucky. So they keep the secret, mostly.

"My real problem is money," she went on. "I can't race Treasure enough to keep us fed and moving, so occasionally my mother's family has to wire me money from my trust fund. I think that's how they found me; they must have someone in Western Union reporting to them."

"Hey, that's why you were at the Hazzard Bank yesterday!" said Bo.

Darla nodded. "I was in Miami for several weeks, and one day I caught a glimpse of Sid Pearson, one of King's men." She shook her head. "Talk about a sick bastard; if what you said about Harold King ordering people killed is true, I'd bet Sid is the one who collects the trophies.

"So I decided to head north. They almost had me cornered in Tallahassee, but I managed to get around them and told everyone there I was going back to Miami. Instead, I decided to head for Atlanta. I came up the Western border, stayed off the highways, and went through the countryside as much as possible. I figured Hazzard was an out of the way place, and it would be safe to stop here. But I guess they didn't fall for my saying I was headed south. I was hoping to hide out in Atlanta and rest Treasure for the Stakes races, but if they've tracked me to Hazzard, they'll have to realize that's where I'm heading. Even if I can get out of Hazzard, I've got nowhere to go."

Suddenly she looked exhausted. She put her head in her hand. "After all this time," she said quietly, "After all I've done to protect the bloodline and my family's name, Bernardo may still win. My entire family is counting on me, and I'm going to let them down." Her voice was thick by the time she finished.

"Hey, now wait just a minute here," said Bo. He turned her to face him. "Don't you talk like that. You've shown more courage and more spirit than any family could ask for, and you ain't let anybody down yet."

"That's right," Daisy chimed in. "You've been incredibly brave to have stay on the run all by yourself, and keep you and your horses safe for so long."

And I'll tell you this," said Bo. "If you were the last Duke on this Earth, well—we couldn't be more proud of you."

Darla gave him a weary smile and rested her head on his shoulder. Bo put both his arms around her again, and looked at the others. "There's gotta be somethin' we can do to protect her and get these guys off her tail," he said.

"Well, it may not be that simple, Bo," said Luke. "We can protect her and the horses, but that may not be enough. If Bernardo and Sid know where she is, all they'd have to do is wait her out." His expression changed a little. "Unless…" He looked over at Enos.

The deputy looked a little confused. "What?"

"Well, Bo," said Luke, looking at his cousin, "you an' I can't leave Hazzard County when we're on probation. I highly doubt that Bernardo's allowed to leave his home county; it'd violate his parole."

"You're right!" said Bo.

"And this Sid seems like a pretty unsavory character," Luke went on. "I'd be willin' to bet there's more than a few lawmen who'd like to talk to him."

"Well, I can run their names through the state police and the FBI, and see if they've got any warrants out on 'em," said Enos. "That may buy you some time to lose them again."

"And if Bernardo goes back to jail, Harold King won't be able to collect on his debt for a good long while," Luke went on. "He may just decide that pursuing you is pointless, and cut his losses."

Darla looked horrified. "But…but if Bernardo goes to jail, Harold King would probably have him killed in prison. I can't—I can't condemn him like that!"

Bo looked down at her. "Darla," he said softly, "you can't run forever. Sooner or later, either they're gonna get to you and force you to do what they want, or Harold King will run out of patience with Bernardo. Truth is, there's no easy way out for your uncle. And don't forget-he's chosen the life he's led, and he chose to kill his own kin. You don't owe him anything."

* * *

Bernardo and Sid crept across the Duke farmyard. From the corner of the barn, they squinted at the window of the farmhouse. They could see Darla in the living room; the blond kid still had his arms around her.

"I can't believe she was stupid enough to leave him alone, after all the precautions she's always taken," said Bernardo.

"The way blondie's fawning over her in there, I'd say she's a little distracted," Sid answered. They went around the side of the farmhouse. They could hear horses snorting inside. They crept through the main door and headed for Treasure's stall.

* * *

As Bo finished speaking, they suddenly heard the horses whinnying and squealing in the barn, accompanied by human shouts. "What the heck is goin' on?" Luke said, looking out the window.

"Bernardo! He must have found us!" Darla yelled, and ran for the back door.

"Darla, wait a second!" Bo yelled after her. He and the others ran out the back door (Rosco and Enos, of course, tried to go out the door at the same time) and flew after her. Bo, with his long legs, quickly caught up to Darla; they hit the barn door at the same time. As the others caught up, all of them stared.

Bernardo and Sid were standing near the door to Treasure's stall, struggling under the weight of a heavy net. Jesse had used fishing line to set trip wires across the barn. As soon as Bernardo and Sid got ten feet inside the door, the trap was sprung. The stallion was rearing and plunging in the back of his stall, while the two men tried to fight their way out of dozens of feet of nylon and knots.

"Well, it's good to know that ol' moonshine trappin' net of mine can still get put to good use!" said Jesse, laughing. The boys and Daisy joined in.

"You thought to set traps?" Darla was incredulous.

"Well, Hazzard's a small place, and ever'body knows us Dukes," said Jesse. "I figured it'd only be a matter of time before these guys figured out where you were. So, I made it so we'd know if someone showed up."

"I sure hope you were plannin' on lettin' us know about these traps, Uncle Jesse!" said Bo.

"You'd know to look!" Jesse returned. He looked at Rosco and Enos. "Rosco, these two men are tresspassin' on my property, and they're attempted horse thieves to boot! Now do your sworn duty!"

"What? Ooh. Ooh! Well, uh—" Rosco stuttered, but he knew he didn't have a leg to stand on. _Boss ain't gonna be happy about this,_ he thought. "Well, you heard him, Enos, let's cuff 'em and stuff 'em!" They fought to get Bernardo and Sid loose from the net while Darla ran to calm Treasure, who was still whinnying in his stall. She grabbed for Treasure's halter; the whites of the stallion's eyes were showing, but he ceased trying to rear.

Bernardo looked at Darla as Enos finally hauled him to his feet. He had a wild, desperate look on his face. "This isn't over," he said in a rough voice.

"It sure looks over to me!" Bo fired back. He joined Darla at the front of Treasure's stall.

Before Enos could stop him, Bernardo lunged for Darla. Bo started to move to protect her, but Darla was quicker and kicked Bernado in the gut. He keeled over with a groan. _"Puta!"_ he spat at her. Darla's eyes widened; she moved to hit him again.

"Whoa!" Bo yelled, and caught her before she could land another kick, practically lifting her off her feet.

Darla stared at her uncle with cold rage in her eyes. "You chose to sell out your own family, Bernardo," she said through clenched teeth. "And you chose to sell yourself, body and soul, to the mob to feed your own addiction, so who is the _whore_ here?"

"Wait a second, what did he just call you?" asked Bo. He tried desperately to remember his Spanish; ironically, it was the words they weren't taught in class that he tended to remember. Suddenly his eyes widened. "You son of a—" Bo lunged at Bernardo with his fist raised, but Luke caught him.

Sid was watching the exchange between them; Darla caught him looking. For a second, Sid leered at her, then flecked his tongue across his lips at her. Darla didn't hesitate; with all her strength, she kicked him square in the groin. With a cry, Sid dropped to his knees. All the men in the room cringed involuntarily.

"I think Jonas missed your _cojones_ the last time we saw you," Darla hissed. She was looking at him with a mix of disgust, repulsion—and fear. She spat at Sid's feet as Rosco hauled him off. Enos followed with Bernardo.

Bo looked at Darla. "I'd sure hate to get on your bad side," he said.

Darla didn't take her eyes off Bernardo and Sid. "You saved my life," she said, "I don't think you can get on my bad side after that."

* * *

The Dukes and Darla followed Rosco and Enos back to Hazzard. As they walked into the police building, Boss ran out of his office, ecstatic.

"Rosco! You brought back that horse thief and all them Dukes! Oh, this is a great day!" he yelled, laughing. "Well, what're you waitin' for? Lock 'em up, all of 'em!"

"Sorry, J.D., but you don't get to arrest any Dukes today, or this young lady here, either!" said Jesse, motioning to Darla.

"Oh yes I do!" Boss fired back. "Now do your duty!" he yelled at Rosco.

"Well, uh—Boss, ya see, uh-" Rosco stuttered, wringing his hands together, "um, she ain't no horse thief," he muttered, pointing at Darla.

"What?" Boss exclaimed.

"Look, Boss, we don't know what these guys told you," said Luke, "but they ain't bounty hunters. They're just huntin' Darla!"

"That's right, Boss!" Bo chimed in. "Those horses are her family's, and they've been tryin' to steal 'em!"

"What? Oh, what a bunch of malarkey!" Boss snapped.

"I'm afraid the Dukes are right, Mister Hogg," said Enos from across the room. He'd gone over to his desk and was shuffling through a pile of papers. "It's these two that the law's lookin' for," he said, looking at Bernardo and Sid. He read from one of the papers. "Bernardo Verdes, wanted for parole violation. And, Sidney Frank Pearson, wanted for assault, assault with a deadly weapon, and grand theft auto."

"What?" Boss squeaked; it seemed to be the only word he could get out.

"They—they ain't bounty hunters, Boss," Rosco said quietly.

"They ain't?"

"A-and there ain't no bounty money, either," Rosco finished.

"_WHAT!" _Boss looked at all their faces, as if he was hoping someone would give him a different answer. "Dat—dat—drrrgh!" he finally yelled; he threw his hat on the ground, then reached up and grabbed Rosco's hat off his head and threw that one too. He turned and stormed back to his office, ranting all the way.

Darla watched him go with a very perplexed look. "Is this normal?" she asked, looking at the Dukes.

"It's normal for Hazzard," said Luke.

"Nothin' hurts Boss worse than losin' money," said Bo with a grin.

Darla watched as Rosco and Enos took Bernardo and Sid downstairs to the cells. As they disappeared through the door, she sat down hard on a bench and let her head fall in her hands.

"Hey, you okay?" Bo asked, sitting down next to her.

Darla stared off into space. "I don't know," she said softly. "I've spent so long running; it's hard to believe I don't have to now."

"Well, if you want to keep them in jail, Miss Darla," said Enos, "you'll have to stay awhile. The magistrate won't be back in Hazzard for about three weeks, and you'll be needin' to testify. You too, Uncle Jesse, seein' as they was in your barn."

"Well, I'm not goin' anywhere!" said Jesse.

"And neither are you," Bo said to Darla. His smile lit up the room as he looked at her. Once again, Darla couldn't help but smile back.

As the Dukes left the police building, Luke watched Bo and Darla walking ahead of him. He turned to Daisy. "You reckon Bo's comin' down with a little somethin' for Darla?" he said.

Daisy looked at her baby cousin as he and Darla climbed in the General Lee. He was still grinning from ear to ear. "Nope," she said. "He's already got it."

_**It sounds like a happy ending, don't it? But this is Hazzard, and things aren't ever that simple. **_


	7. Getting the basics

_**As always, I lay no claim to DOH; only the storylines and the characters I create. I also lay no claim at all to any of the music I mention! You'll find that Darla's taste in tunes is something Bo will have to get used to! **_

As the days went by, it became apparent that Bo really did have something, and the symptoms were greatest when Darla was around. With no one intent on doing her harm, Darla lightened up considerably. In addition to her striking red hair, delicate skin and gold-flecked eyes, Darla had a pretty smile, an infectious laugh, and a sense of humor that kept all the Dukes laughing with her. It seemed like there wasn't anything she couldn't twist into a joke. Bo couldn't help but smile when they were together, which was most of the time.

"You know, rumors are flying thicker than mosquitoes in the Hazzard swamp about those two," Daisy said quietly. Luke was helping her hang another load of laundry on the line, while Bo and Darla were under the hood of the General Lee.

"You're tellin' me," said Luke. "Yesterday, Miz Tisdale grilled me about whether or not Darla was from 'good family stock' when I picked up the mail."

Daisy giggled. "Maybelle actually chased me down the street when I went to the drugstore, wantin' to know about her."

Luke chuckled; Maybelle was not only the town phone operator, she was also the town gossip, and she took that responsibility seriously. "Guess everyone figures if a girl can hold his attention for more than a few days, she must be the one for him."

Daisy laughed, and looked over at them as they laughed at something. "Maybe they have a point. Have you ever seen him like this before?"

"No, I really haven't," said Luke. "Bo's charmed many a woman, but…she's different. A pretty face might turn Bo's head for a while, but you know how fast he can lose interest. But every time he looks at Darla…it's like he's back in front of the Hazzard Bank again, lookin' at her for the first time."

"She really is the sweetest thing," said Daisy, watching them. "What do you think it is about her, that's got him so smitten?"

Luke thought for a minute as he helped Daisy pin sheets to the clothesline. "I think it's…that she's just herself. She's not makin' a play for him, and she's not makin' him chase her. She just…is what she is."

"Well…she is definitely someone special in Bo's eyes," said Daisy.

Luke nodded, but he face was a little worried. _She's someone special, all right,_ he thought, _someone who's not stayin'._

* * *

As more days passed, it became clear that what Darla was amounted to several different things. A few mornings after Bernardo and Sid's arrest, Darla proved her worth in the kitchen, making them all huevos rancheros for breakfast. Of course, she also proved she had a much higher tolerance for spicy foods than they did. After three or four bites, she had all of them sweating.

Darla also proved that her driving of the General Lee the first day was no fluke. After breakfast, Darla wanted to go back to Cooter's and get Treasure's racing tack and her silks so she could exercise the stallion at Hazzard's local track. Bo came outside to find Darla in the driver's seat of the General Lee, spinning through the dial on the radio.

"What're you doin'?" he asked, leaning in the driver's window.

"Trying to find something else to listen to," she answered.

"What's wrong with what we had?" Bo asked.

"Nothing; I just like something a little stronger when I drive, that's all."

Bo smiled a little, but didn't argue with her over who was going to drive. As he walked around to the passenger side, he heard a screaming guitar and a guy singing a least an octave higher than he thought was humanly possible.

"Yes!" exclaimed Darla with a victorious laugh.

"What the heck is this?" he said, giving her an incredulous look.

"Sammy Hagar!" she said. "And considering the way you put the General through his paces, I'd say this song is appropriate for you!" She hit the gas and sang along as the chorus came on:

_Go on and write me up for 125  
Post my face, wanted dead or alive  
Take my license n' all that jive  
'cause I can't drive 55!_

It was louder than anything Bo listened to, but he had to laugh at the lyrics. "Well, I know Rosco would agree it's a good song for me an' Luke!" He looked over at her. "So, um, is this all you listen to?" He was genuinely concerned; could this be something about her he actually wouldn't like?

"No, I'll listen to almost anything," she said. "The music that gets played in the barns at Treasure Green depends on the foremen, so I know a lot of different artists."

Bo tried to listen more, but it was just too loud. "How can you think with this on?" he said.

"How can you think with that caterwauling country playing?" she fired back.

"Hey, there is nothing wrong with Hank!" he said.

They playfully bantered back and forth for a while. Bo extolled the virtues of Loretta, Dolly, Merle, and Johnny, while she praised Led Zeppelin, Def Leppard, Motley Crue and Jon Bon Jovi. They managed to compromise on the Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

"So…do you at least like Waylon Jennings?" he asked hesitantly.

She shrugged. "I guess so," she said. She caught Bo's slightly crestfallen look. "But, I really like The Highwaymen."

Bo brightened at that. "Anybody else?"

"Well, I like George Strait," she said, "And I love Vince Gill."

"No kiddin'? Well, you've got that in common with Daisy, she's head over heels for that guy!" Bo laughed.

Suddenly they heard a siren behind them. "Oh, no," Bo moaned.

"Is that Rosco again?" Darla tried to look behind her.

"No, it's Enos," said Bo, and picked up the CB mic. "Enos, what do you want, we ain't doin' nothin'!"

"Sorry, Bo," they heard Enos reply, "But Sheriff Rosco says I gotta check that Darla gal's license; he says he got it on good authority that she's got a fake ID."

"Boss's authority, maybe," Bo muttered. On the radio, he heard a guitar riff that sounded like a car shifting through its gears.

_"Yes!"_ Darla hissed, and turned up the volume. She was wearing a full-of-the-devil grin as she hit the gas. "You'll guide me?" she said, looking over at Bo.

"Now Bo, you pull over!" said Enos. "Please!" he added meekly.

"Well, I'd love to oblige ya, Enos, but I ain't drivin!" said Bo, smiling at Darla. "You wanna talk to Darla, you're gonna have to catch her yourself!" He threw the mic down. "Take a right here!" he said, and braced himself.

They sped down the dirt roads with Enos hot on their tail. Darla couldn't quite make the General Lee drift through corners the way Bo could, which made it harder for her to stay ahead of the deputy's patrol car. They hit a paved road with Enos close behind; they could see a train on the tracks ahead.

Bo looked over at her. "You ready to do this again?"

"Oh, you can't be serious!" said Darla.

"Head for the dip and you'll fly right over that flat car there!" Bo yelled.

Darla bobbed her head in time to the music, and floored the General with a look of determination—and excitement.

She hit the dip in the road and flew over the train, landing with a hard _thud_ on the other side. She hit the brakes and slid to a stop; they both looked over their shoulder in time to see Enos slide to a stop inches from the tracks. The heavy noise of the train couldn't quite drown out Enos's squeal at the close call.

"Well, it looks like he's all right!" said Bo.

"Whoo!" Darla shrieked. "Talk about _Kickstart My Heart!"_ They both laughed. Darla looked at Bo with a huge smile and shining eyes, and said, "Do you do this often?"

* * *

And later that night, Darla proved that while she might be "the sweetest thing," as Daisy put it, she was no pushover. And of course, there was no better place to prove that than the Boar's Nest.

With Darla's wardrobe being so small—she barely had more than what she was wearing—Daisy loaned Darla some of her clothes for the evening. When she came out of Daisy's room, Darla was wearing a pair of Daisy's famous shorts. They rode a little lower on Darla, since she was so much shorter, but paired with one of Daisy's tie-front tops and high-heeled sandals, she was still a sight to behold.

Luke raised his eyebrows in appreciation; Bo couldn't help but gulp. Darla turned around once. "Do I look okay?" she asked nervously.

"Shoot, you look whole lot better than okay," said Bo, and smiled at her. Luke heard some of Bo's usual charm creeping back into his voice.

At the Boar's Nest, every head turned when the boys walked in. There was a general shout of greeting from the other patrons, but there was no doubt that all eyes were on Darla. It wasn't just the men, either; several of the women were looking too, and a few of them were less than pleased to see Bo with a strange girl.

Daisy brought the boys and Darla a round of beers. "Hey, and bring us some whiskey shots too, would ya?" said Bo.

"Sure thing, Bo; you want one, Darla?"

"Rum for me, thanks," she said.

"Rum?" asked Luke as Daisy poured their drinks.

"I know; I'm a complete traitor to my Irish roots," said Darla, smiling. "Me mother's family said I be a disgrace, drinking like a limey." She let a thick Irish accent into her speech as she said it, which got a smile out of Bo.

After a round, they started to relax, and Bo and Luke kept Darla laughing with some of their escapades in Hazzard county.

"So, you never figured out they were twins?" said Darla, after they told her about the twin jewel thieves they'd helped to capture. It had taken Darla only a few minutes of their story to realize there were two girls conning Bo and Luke.

"It took us a while," said Luke, laughing at the memory. "Fortunately, we figured it out before either of us got hurt."

"Yeah, and we probably would have hurt each other if we hadn't figured it out," said Bo. "Both of us were so dead sure we were right, we woulda started takin' swings at each other if Uncle Jesse hadn't stopped us."

"I bet you two have taken more than a few swings at each other in your lifetimes," said Darla, eyeing the two of them over the rim of her glass. Bo and Luke both squirmed in their chairs and shot a glance at each other. Darla smiled a little as she sipped at her rum. "Do you see eye to eye more often nowadays?"

"Well…" Bo said with mock seriousness. "Luke's much older and wiser now, and realizes that it's completely pointless to argue with me about anything!" He couldn't resist a smile as he eyed Luke.

"Oh yeah, I learned that, all right," Luke fired back, grinning, "'cause it's pointless to argue with a brick-lined head!"

"You boys recallin' all your shuck an' jives for Darla, here?" said a familiar voice.

"Hey, Cooter!" Bo and Luke both welcomed the mechanic. Darla smiled at him as he pulled up a chair.

"Cooter, can I believe even half of what these two are telling me?"

"That, an' then some, Darla," said Cooter, as Daisy brought him a beer. "They may have crazy stories to tell, but I was there for most of 'em. An' these two got me out of more than one tight corner, I can tell you that."

"Shoot, you've done the same for us, Cooter," said Luke.

They were well into their story about a fortune-teller coming to Hazzard, when they heard a rough voice break in.

"Well, who's this here?" A dark-haired, slovenly man said as he swaggered up to the Duke's table.

Darla looked up at him, then quickly scanned the faces of the men sitting with her. Bo's smile had faded, and she could see his jaw tensing. "Evenin', Ernie," said Luke. He and Cooter hadn't moved from their relaxed positions, but their eyes had turned guarded. This was not someone to be trusted.

"Bo, Luke, this a friend of yours?" Darla said lightly.

"More like their competition," Ernie snickered.

"Really? Well, it's nice that you're so generous, since you let them win all the time," Darla said sweetly, sipping her drink. The boys and Cooter snorted.

It took Ernie a minute to realize he'd been insulted. He scowled at her. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Darla snickered. "If you don't get it, I'm not going to explain it," she said.

"C'mon, Ernie, you were a six-pack in before we even got here. Now let it go, she's not interested," said Bo.

"Hey, maybe the filly here should make up her own mind!" Ernie said. "C'mon hon, come and have a drink!"

Bo jumped to his feet as Ernie grabbed Darla's arm. But he never got the chance to make a move in Ernie's direction, because Ernie was suddenly on his knees. Darla stood over him; she had his pinky finger in one hand and was bending it backwards until the back of his hand was practically touching his wrist.

"First of all, I'm nobody's _filly,_" she said in that same sweet voice. "And second—sorry, but you're not my type. Because my type doesn't include someone that I can smell three feet before he gets to the table." Ernie just whimpered in response. Darla let him go, but before he could move, she whipped her elbow around and cut Ernie across the bridge of his nose. Ernie hit the ground with a grunt; blood flowed from his nose as he cradled his hand. Darla smiled tightly at him as she sat back down, but her eyes were narrowed.

The boys and Cooter just stared at her as Ernie slunk back to the bar. "How did you do that?" asked Cooter.

"Where the pinkie goes, the body will follow," said Darla. "You can take down a guy twice your size with that move. And your elbow is the strongest joint in your body; you have to get closer to hit, but you can hit a lot harder."

"Where in the Sam Hill did you learn that?" asked Bo.

Darla shrugged. "When you're a pretty girl who works with guys twice your size, you learn things."

Bo shook his head. "Remind me _again_ not to get on your bad side," he said. Luke and Cooter both smiled into their beers.


	8. First Tells

"So, was that the first time a girl didn't need you to jump to her defense?" Darla asked later, as they sat on the front porch steps of the farmhouse.

"Well, no," said Bo. "Daisy's pretty good at takin' care of herself, and she hates it when me an' Luke jump into things for her." He looked at Darla. "But, it's the first time I've seen someone as small as you take down somebody that big."

Darla laughed. "Well, don't tell anybody, but I've never actually done it on somebody that big before." Bo looked surprised; they both laughed.

Darla looked up at the stars. "Okay," she said, "First tells."

"Huh?"

"First tells," she said. "You ask me about the first time I did something, and I'll ask you about the first time you did something. It's fun," she smiled.

Once again, Bo couldn't help but smile back. "Um, okay," he said. He thought quickly. "Uh, the first time you rode Treasure."

Darla raised her eyebrows. "That's a little easier than I was expecting," she said. "About two years ago, before he started his two-year-old season. The very first time I got him out on a track, I knew what it meant to fly." She got a faraway look in her eyes as she continued. "I've been riding almost since I could walk, but I trained in show jumping, at my mother's insistence. For whatever reason, Treasure just doesn't like men around him. He was always fighting his handlers and exercise riders. But whenever I was around him, he was always calm. I could get him to do almost anything. So, Papa decided to teach me to jockey." She smiled, shaking her head. "Mama and Papa fought about that for days. She said it wasn't a fit profession for a debutante of Lexington. What on earth would the rest of society think? What would all the eligible young men think?" she said in mock horror.

Bo laughed. "So, what did they think?"

"They never got the chance to ask," said Darla. "I ran Treasure too well for the 'eligible bachelors' to keep up." They both laughed. Then Darla said, "I was…never the type to worry about my prospects. Not the way Mama did, anyway."

"Ah, your ma probably just wanted the best for you," said Bo.

"In more ways than one," said Darla. "The Verdes name is well established, but the McCarthy's…they were poor, working-class Irish sharecroppers. Grandma and Grandpa were barely more than kids themselves when they came to America, right in the middle of the Depression. They started working on Treasure Green as harvesters in our crop fields, back when we grew our own crops and feed. Mama was the youngest of nine children. She started working at the auction yards, Papa went there with Abuelito, and that's how they met."

"Wow," said Bo, "The elder son falling in love with a daughter of a poor Irish servant; that must have caused a scandal."

"I heard it did," Darla answered, "but probably not as much as it would have if, say, Papa had been the McCarthy. But, I don't think the Lexington ladies made it easy for Mama. I think they always made it clear that she would always be second class." She shrugged. "She didn't want that for her daughter."

Bo could see the logic in that. "She wanted you to have the fairy tale life she never had, right?"

Darla nodded. "I was a debutante; in her mind, I was supposed to be a princess. But I was always more interested in being a barn rat. She didn't want me working the horses or doing barn chores, but that's what I was happiest doing." She looked down. "We never really saw eye-to-eye on much of anything."

"Well, I'll bet she was still proud of you," Bo said gently.

Darla didn't answer right away. "Okay, my turn," she said, changing the subject. She looked over at the General Lee sitting in front of them. "The first time…you ever snuck out to drive a car."

Bo looked shocked. "How did you…I mean, why would you ask that?"

Darla smiled. "Because you're a daredevil," she said, "and because Luke is, what—five years older than you?"

"Four and a half," Bo said automatically.

"Right," Darla chuckled. "So, that means he would have been able to own a car and drive while you were still just a kid."

Bo sighed, and looked sideways at her with a smirk. "I was eleven," he finally admitted with a rueful smile. He chucked a pebble across the yard. "Luke had just bought his first car, an old Chevy Nova. And he wouldn't even let me sit in it, much less in the driver's seat. I got so mad at him for treating me like a little kid." He shook his head. "So, I figured I'd show him, and I snuck out one night to try and drive it."

"How far did you get?" Darla asked.

Bo didn't answer at first. Darla saw his mouth working; if it wasn't for the moonlight, she would have sworn his face was turning red. "Not very," he finally said. "I was kind of a shrimp back then; my feet wouldn't reach the pedals."

Darla threw back her head and laughed. "Did Luke ever find out?"

"Yep, he did," said a voice from behind them. They turned around to find Luke standing in the doorway, smiling. "And Bo probably would have gotten a lot father if he'd figured out how to work the front seat lever." Darla laughed again at Bo's embarrassed look. Eventually though, even he joined in a little.

"Now, what would possess you to ask that question?" Bo asked. Darla didn't answer, but he thought he saw a trace of guilt cross her face. "You did it too!" he exclaimed.

"I did not _sneak!_" she said indignantly. Then she said, "I made Jonas start taking me out when I was thirteen."

"Why would he do that?" teased Bo.

"Because if he didn't, I'd tell Mama and Papa that I caught him in the stallion barn with Rita Sanchez," she said.

* * *

The banter went on like that for days. By the end of the week, Bo knew about Darla's first day of school, her first debutante's ball, her first car and her first pony. Darla's questions tended to be a little more probing, but she never hesitated when Bo fired them back at her.

"Okay, first time you ever got drunk," said Darla. They were in the barn, knocking out a partition between two stalls to give Netty more room to foal.

"Aren't you ever gonna ask me an easy one?" said Bo, leaning on his sledgehammer.

"Hey, I asked you about the first time you did a shine run yesterday," said Darla. She'd found out all about their time on probation, too.

Bo sighed. "Fourteen," he said. "I made the Hazzard Hawks football team my freshman year; they were havin' a party out at somebody's farm. I was the youngest kid there, and they kept pushing drinks on me, telling me to drink like a man."

"Ouch; not very good friends," said Darla, frowning.

"Well, I tolerated it for a while, but after a bit I got tired of the hazing, and I punched out Eddie Custer, one of our senior guys. Everybody jumped in; somebody called Rosco, and I wound up gettin' arrested for the first time." He shook his head at the memory. "I'm not sure what made me feel worse; Luke came and got me, so I had to face him, I was sick as a dog, and Uncle Jesse still tanned my hide when I got home."

"Did you learn from it?"

"Not really," said Bo, smiling. "That was at the start of the season; we had a season-ending party too, but at least I didn't get arrested at that one." Darla laughed.

"Okay," said Bo, taking another swing at the partition; it lurched another few inches. "You wouldn't have asked unless you did it; c'mon, spill."

"Seventeen," said Darla, taking a swing with her own sledge. "At one of my debutante's balls. Somebody conveniently left a case of champagne in the back of the dressing room; we were all getting pretty toasty." She and Bo took another swing; the partition started to lean. "I was getting a little toastier than some of the others, when suddenly they called my name and I had to make my entrance." She and Bo took another swing at the same time; the partition finally gave way and fell slowly on its side. "I pretty much did that," she said, grinning at the fallen partition.

"You fell over?" said Bo, laughing a little.

"Well, I made it to the bottom of the stairs. Then I fell over and pulled my escort on top of me." Bo laughed out loud at that one.

* * *

"Now, what did I tell ya?" said Bo proudly.

"Oh wow, this is beautiful!" exclaimed Darla. "Where are we?"

"Silver Lake," said Bo, reining in his mount, Haddie. They were riding horses borrowed from the neighboring Keller farm. Darla was riding Tuscon, one of the Keller's stallions. Darla felt a little strange riding so slow, but Bo had promised her a surprise on the ride, and she'd agreed to go. Seeing the small lake, almost perfectly ringed by trees and surrounded by rocky cliffs, was worth the ride.

"The farm is just about four miles south of here," said Bo, pointing. "This was one of the big silver mines back about a hundred years ago. They built that cabin over there where the mine entrance used to be."

"Are those elm trees over by that cabin?" said Darla.

"Yep, there's still a few of them around here," said Bo.

"All of ours died in Kentucky," she said. "Gosh, how did you ever pay attention in school with all this beautiful countryside out here?"

"Probably the same way you did," said Bo, grinning. "Uncle Jesse threatened to tan my hide if I didn't."

Darla looked sideways at him. "Okay, spill it," she said. "I know you played hooky from school at least once, when was your first?"

_She never asks anything easy,_ he thought. "I was twelve. We'd taken a test the day before, and I knew I'd flunked it. I just couldn't face my teacher again, or Luke or Uncle Jesse when I came home. So instead of catching the bus I just headed for the pond and stayed there. 'Course, the school called; Uncle Jesse pulled Luke outta high school to come and look for me."

"And I'll bet that if Luke hadn't found you, he'd still be out here looking," said Darla.

Bo smiled a little. "Yeah, he probably would be." After a pause, he said, "So, what about you? Or did the nuns keep you in line?"

Darla snorted. "Hardly; and I didn't go to Catholic school anyway. No, I was ten. Treasure's great-grandmother was in labor when I was supposed to be leaving for school. So instead of catching the bus, I snuck back so I could see Treasure's grandfather born, Treasured Past."

"Well, I guess that's a good reason for cutting school," said Bo.

"Papa didn't think so," said Darla.

* * *

"Okay, first movie date," said Bo to Darla one evening. They were in the Hazzard Square, sitting on a blanket and watching movies on an inflatable screen Boss had scrounged up somewhere.

"Drive-in or sit-down?"

"Either."

"Hmmm…well, my first sit-down was to see Star Wars with Michael Cormer; my first drive-in, I went to an Alfred Hitchcock marathon with David Warren. I liked the movies better than the dates in both cases."

Bo laughed. "You seriously like Alfred Hitchcock?"

"Oh, absolutely! Don't you?"

"Oh, I do, I just never met a girl before who did!" Said Bo. _Gosh, is there anything not to love about this girl?_ he thought.

"Oh, I love all of his movies, even his early silent films. They're great! What's your favorite?"

"_Psycho_, no contest," said Bo. "What about you?"

"Gosh, I don't know. But if you're going to make me pick…_North by Northwest._ I think I know just about every line of that movie."

Bo smiled down at her. "How did a girl like you get to be a girl like you?" he said, quoting the movie.

"Lucky, I guess," Darla quoted back.

* * *

"How about the first time you ever got in trouble in church?" said Darla, as they left church the next morning.

"The first time, or the latest time?" asked Bo, looking sideways at Uncle Jesse and Luke. Jesse scowled at him; Luke was trying to hide a smile. Bo had had a hard time keeping his eyes directed forward during the service. Daisy had taken Darla shopping for a dress; she'd settled on a pale yellow sundress patterned with dark red roses that matched her hair. To keep Uncle Jesse from objecting, Daisy made sure the dress reached her knees, but Bo still got a glimpse of her legs when she was sitting down. Darla had felt rather awkward during the service; despite not going to Catholic school, being Irish-Spanish, she was in fact Catholic, and having to sit through the entire service without moving or kneeling felt strange to her. She didn't know most of the hymns either, although listening to Bo sing them was nice.

"The first time, although I'm guessing it's a regular thing with you," she said.

"I was about six," said Bo. "I got into a fight in Sunday School with my cousin Coy."

"About what?"

Bo looked sheepish. "Over whether Ruth or Esther was prettier."

Darla raised her eyebrows. "Please tell me you're joking."

"He's not," said Luke, "and he and Coy both ate their Sunday dinner standing up that night." Darla tried to stifle a laugh and failed.

"So, what about you?" asked Bo.

"I was twelve," said Darla. "I sang in the choir, and we usually sat in the first few rows of the balcony. One day we decided it would be a great idea to make paper airplanes out of the church programs. And, _someone_ thought it would be even better idea to start lobbing them out over the congregation."

Bo and Luke both burst out laughing. Jesse rolled his eyes. "Must be somethin' in kids' genes, makes 'em act all squirrely-like," he muttered.

* * *

"Man, I won't need to eat for a week after that meal," said Bo, pushing back from the table. Darla and Daisy had teamed up in the kitchen; after Daisy's baked chicken and beans, Darla had brought out bowls of rice pudding. Bo had always hated the stuff, but he wasn't about to offend her. But the first bite turned out to be a wonderful mixture of cream, sugar and spice, and he found himself plowing through it.

"You got that right," said Luke. "I don't think I'll be able to move for a while."

"Well, ya better figure out a way, 'cause the chores ain't waitin'," said Jesse. He sounded gruff; he'd always thought his rice pudding was good, but he had to admit, Darla's was much better. "What all did you put in this, Darla?"

"Now, Jesse, would you tell just anybody what you put in your rattlesnake chili?" said Darla, grinning at him. "I will tell you, lemon peel and star anise make a big difference."

"Well, you boys get to chores; I'll clean up in here," said Daisy, gathering up plates.

Darla went out to the barn with Bo; she worked on grooming Netty while Bo cleaned out her double-size stall. Bo watched her for a minute; she looked like she was deep in thought.

"Somethin' on your mind?" he said.

Darla stared blankly for a minute. "I haven't been to church in a while. It made me think of something," she said quietly. "Can I ask you for another first?"

"Sure; you asked me for a bunch of 'em already," he said.

"This one's a little harder," said said. "The first time…you knew God had answered your prayers."

Bo looked a little surprised. "Wow," he said softly. He blew out a breath and thought for a minute. "Well," he said, leaning on his pitchfork, "it'd have to be…when Luke came home from Vietnam."

"Luke was in the Army?"

"Marines, actually," said Bo.

"Wow…I bet he saw some pretty terrible things, then," said Darla.

"Well, he doesn't talk about it much, but…yeah, I think he did. We never really knew how he was doing. I mean, we wrote him all the time, and he'd write us when he could, but letters got held up over there a lot. Once we went almost three months without hearing anything. I'd hear Uncle Jesse almost every night, praying that his boy would come home. Daisy an' me prayed every day too."

"And one day, I came home from school and found Daisy and Uncle Jesse crying. I was terrified that something had happened to Luke. And something had; he'd gotten discharged, and he was comin' home." Bo smiled a little and nodded to himself. "I knew then, that God had been listenin' all that time. And he saw fit to bring Luke home."

Darla smiled at him. "I'm glad he got home." She looked down. Bo waited a minute, but she didn't say anything. "Now, you ain't gonna tell me you don't have a first for that, are ya?" He grinned a little. "A good Catholic girl like you?" he teased.

Darla sniffed at that. "I've actually been thinking about it, and aside from getting my pony when I was six…I can't remember."

"Now, that's no way to talk," said Bo, turning serious.

"Well, I haven't had any 'pony prayers,' as Mama called them, for a while. But the biggest thing I've been asking for over the last year has been…why." She slowly shook her head. "I've been asking that a lot. Why all this had to happen, why my family had to die in that fire, why I had to leave everything I've ever known and run for my life." She looked down. "I don't think I've gotten an answer yet. I guess I just wanted to know that you'd gotten an answer before."

They were both quiet for a minute. Finally Bo said, "Uncle Jesse always told us there was nothing God would give us that we couldn't get through. Luke once said that's what helped him get through his time in Vietnam. I…I wish I could tell you more than that."

"I wish you could too," said Darla. "I keep telling myself that God's never steered me wrong before, and that sooner or later, the things He does make sense. This one may take a while, and I may still be angry about it. There's got to be a reason for why my family died; I just don't see it yet. I just have to believe that eventually, He'll tell me what it is."

"That's some strong faith to have. I hope He does tell you," said Bo, smiling down at her.

Darla's answering smile looked tired. "Okay, now an easy one," she said. "First time you jumped the General Lee." Bo laughed; while he finished mucking out Netty's stall and she worked on grooming the mare, he gave her every detail of finding a wreck of a Dodge Charger in a Capitol City junkyard (which happened to be loaded with gold dust) and fixing it up for the Hazzard Road Race Championship.

* * *

"Okay, come on, Bo. Mornin's gonna come way too early," said Luke. They'd been up talking with Darla, waiting for Daisy to get home from the Boar's Nest. Once she came home from her shift, she joined in the conversation, and before they knew it, half the night was gone.

"I know, we gotta stop this," said Darla, yawning. "Good night," she murmured. She got up and smiled at the two of them, and she and Daisy headed for Daisy's room.

In their room, Luke said, "I don't think we can run outta stories between the two of you; it's hard to get a word in edgewise when you two are talkin." He grinned at Bo as he kicked his boots off.

Bo was unbuttoning his shirt; he chuckled a little but said nothing.

"So?" said Luke. "What's she like?"

"What're you talkin' about? You're around her almost as much as me," said Bo.

"Hardly; and you know _exactly_ what I'm talkin' about," Luke teased.

Bo looked a little uncomfortable. "I don't see what business that is of yours," he said.

Luke looked incredulous. Bo had never hesitated to tell him about any girl before, so that must mean… "You haven't even kissed her yet, have you?" Bo didn't answer, but he didn't have to; the frustrated look on his face said it was true.

Luke laughed. Bo threw his pillow at him. "Oh, sorry, mister Casanova's-havin'-trouble," Luke said, snickering. He threw the pillow back at him. Bo chucked it back, harder; Luke felt his ears ring after it hit. "Ow!" He started to get up to whack Bo with it, but the look on his cousin's face stopped him. Bo was genuinely upset.

"Bo, what's up?" Luke asked, tossing the pillow back. "I've see the way Darla looks at you; I refuse to believe she don't like you."

Bo threw the pillow against his headboard and flopped back against it, staring at the ceiling. "I dunno what to think," he finally said. "We never run out of things to talk about. No matter how much I find out about her—and with that first time thing she's got goin,' I'm findin' out a lot—I wanna know more. And no matter how much time I spend with her, it's not enough." He paused for a minute. "But whenever I've tried to get closer, she just…stiffens up. It's like she freezes." Bo sighed. "I don't wanna force it, ya know? I just…don't know what her deal is, and I guess, maybe, I'm afraid ta ask."

Luke looked thoughtful. "Well…I don't think it's you, Bo," he said. "She's a pretty girl, but her job is in a man's world, an' it's full of rough men." He shrugged. "It could be…someone was rough with her."

Bo looked horrified. "You really think so?" The thought of anyone trying anything like that with Darla made him downright angry. He had to fight the urge to get up and go check on her. In fact, he'd had to fight that urge a lot lately.

"I dunno," said Luke. "It's just a guess; I could be wrong. But, with as much time as you spend with her, you'll figure it out eventually."

They finished changing and turned out the light. Luke quickly fell asleep, but Bo lay awake for a while, thinking.


	9. Butterflies

"_Bo? Bo, wake up!"_

_"You're gonna have to be louder'n that, Darla; he sleeps like a dead man."_

Bo could hear Darla's voice through a sleepy fog. He didn't mind dreaming about Darla; in fact, some of his dreams lately had been great. But why the heck did Luke have to be in it, too?

_"Bo, come on! You promised!" Darla sounded indignant; Luke was laughing._

"MMnnnggggh…" Bo rolled over; he was losing the dream, and Luke was getting downright irritating.

_"Well, Luke, should I hold him to his word?"_

_"Absolutely. Here, I'll help."_

Bo felt the bed jerk. The world heaved around him; his eyes flew open and he felt his stomach flip as he suddenly became weightless. "Whooaaahh!" His arms and legs flew out in an effort to catch something. He felt his teeth rattle as he hit the ground.

"Aaaaauuuugh…" he groaned. He looked up; Luke and Darla stood over him, doubled over and laughing, holding his mattress. They'd flipped it to get him out of bed.

"Now what the heck was that for?" Bo demanded.

"You said you wanted to be there when I ran Treasure this morning," said Darla, laughing.

"And, you said to get you up by any means necessary," Luke chimed in.

"I didn't know that could be so much fun," giggled Darla.

"Who said anything about fun?" Bo grumbled, untangling himself and getting to his feet.

"Charming in the morning, aren't we?"

"Not when I'm dumped on the floor, I'm not!" Bo snapped.

"Trust me, Darla, he ain't never charmin' in the mornin'!" Luke laughed. Bo glowered at him, then looked at Darla.

She was wearing a dark green, high-collared satin shirt, with white chevrons across the chest and sleeves. White jodhpurs and tall black boots hugged her legs. Her hair was back in its long braid.

"C'mon, I made coffee. Treasure's already seen me in my silks, so he knows he gets to run; he's raring to go," said Darla, smiling.

Bo rubbed his eyes and followed her out to the kitchen. "I'll be gettin' you both back for this," he mumbled.

The coffee, along with a quick helping of grits and toast, helped his disposition somewhat, and soon he was dressed and heading out to the barn with Darla. They loaded Treasure into Jesse's trailer and drove him to the Hazzard dirt track.

"It's no Churchill Downs, but they run Quarter Horse races here every summer," said Bo. He grabbed Treasure's saddle from the back of the pickup as Darla walked the stallion down the ramp. "Geez, how do you stay on him on this tiny thing?" said Bo. The racing saddle didn't look big enough to hold Darla, and once he got it on Treasure's back, it looked even smaller.

"You'll see," she said. "Help me up." She bent a leg back; Bo caught it and boosted her into the saddle. If she looked small next to Bo, she looked positively tiny on the tall stallion's back.

Treasure pawed at the dirt track. "Looks like he's really rarin' to go," said Bo, grabbing the reins. To his surprise, the big horse didn't try to pull away.

"He knows it's time to run; he's all business now," said Darla. She was looking down the track, scanning each corner; she was all business now, too. Bo handed her her helmet; she tossed him the stopwatch hanging around her neck and lowered her goggles over her eyes. "I'm going to give him a few laps to get his blood going; I'll tell you when to start timing. I'll need a time for each lap." She let Treasure go at a trot down the outside of the track. Bo watched her bob in the saddle as the stallion lengthened his stride. After a lap, Treasure broke into a lope. Watching Darla standing bent over in the saddle, Bo finally appreciated why she was so strong for her size; it took an incredible amount of muscle tone to stay balanced like that and still control a headstrong horse.

As they approached Bo, she yelled, "Get ready." Suddenly he saw her crop fly into the air, and he clicked the stopwatch. Darla crouched down on Treasure's back, and the stallion took off. Bo watched as his stride lengthened. Chunks of dirt flew from his hooves as he ran along the track's rail. Despite his long stride, Treasure's head was pulled in; Bo saw Darla's hands were held in close to her sides. It almost looked like she was holding him back.

As they passed him, Bo checked her time. "Thirty-seven seconds?" Treasure had run the half-mile in less than forty seconds, and it didn't look like the stallion was breathing hard. Suddenly Treasure leaped forward. Darla seemed to disappear; she crouched even lower against Treasure's neck. She raised her hands and urged the stallion for more speed. The stallion's stride got even longer; his head lowered, and he was flying. He rounded the far turn and pounded through the backstretch. By the time Darla had him in the back turn, it seemed like his hooves barely touched the ground.

He flew through the back turn and headed down the stretch. As he passed Bo again, he looked at his stopwatch, and his jaw dropped. "You gotta be kiddin' me," he said. "Thirty-three?" There were Derby winners who couldn't match that time. Bo let out a surprised laugh.

Darla was standing in the saddle again, letting Treasure slow his pace. Bo applauded as they approached him again.

"How did we do?" said Darla, pulling Treasure to a walk.

"Thirty-seven and thirty-three! That was amazing!" Bo said, coming forward to take Treasure's reins as Darla hopped to the ground. "Man, it's unbelievable how this guy can run!"

"_Muy bien_, boy!" said Darla proudly, patting Treasure's neck. "He's going to be in prime shape for the Atlanta Stakes, if I can just get him there."

Looking at her, Bo's smile fell just a little. Darla leaving Hazzard was something he hadn't let himself think about. "Well, he's runnin' like he's ready for anything," he said quickly.

"Oh, he is, aren't you boy?" said Darla. Unbeknownst to Bo, she made a subtle gesture with her hand. Treasure back up a step and nodded his head. Bo laughed. "You're tellin' me he understands me?" he said.

"You'd be surprised what a horse can understand," said Darla. "Let's keep him walking."

As they made their way around the track again, Treasure kept turning his head to Bo. He felt the stallion blow out a breath on him. Then the big horse started nibbling on the front of his shirt.

"Whoa, hey! You're not my type!" Bo laughed, nudging the horse's head away. "What is he doing?"

"He likes you," Darla smiled. "He thinks you're interesting, and he's curious about you."

"Can he be curious without chewin' on me?" said Bo, as Treasure turned his head to Bo again. "And how do you know what he's thinkin'?"

"Well, it's not hard," said Darla. "Animals talk just like we do; they'll tell you everything. It's just the way they say it that's different." She slowed her walk and looked at Treasure. "Every move a horse makes, from the flick of an ear to a swish of a tail, can tell you something. Even the sounds they make can give clue to what a horse thinks. You spend long enough with a horse, and after a while, you can tell everything about them." She looked at Bo. "It happens with people too."

"Really?" said Bo, grinning at her. _Maybe some charm would work now,_ he thought. "Well, you've been around me quite a bit; what would you say about me? What do I tell you?"

Darla stopped and looked up at him; she was quiet for a moment. Then she said, "I think…you would do anything for the people you care about. I think you do a lot of leaping without looking. But once you've jumped into something, right or wrong, you see it through. I think you follow your heart more than your head, although you give all of your heart to those you love. I think that no matter how much you love Luke like a brother, you'll always feel a sense of competition with him, a need to be better at something than he is. I think Rosco was right; you are a sucker for a pretty girl, and would fall all over yourself trying to impress her if she's pretty enough. And I think…you've never looked at a girl before the way you look at me. And that—scares me sometimes."

Bo was stunned. Darla started to walk on, but Bo just stood there, staring after her. He was floored; it was like she'd looked inside and pulled out the very essence of who he was. He'd been told before that his feelings were usually pretty obvious, but that was the first time anyone had laid them bare like that.

Darla stopped and looked back at him. "It wasn't that earth-shattering, was it?" she said, smiling a little. "Are you coming?"

Bo shook his head slowly and smiled. He caught up to her again. "I don't really fall all over myself, do I?" he asked, putting an arm around her.

"No, but I could trip you if you'd like," said Darla. They both laughed.

* * *

Luke was busy tossing fresh hay out of the barn loft. He'd grumbled a little at having to do morning chores by himself. Although, he admitted silently with a smile, it had been worth it, seeing Bo dumped on the floor like that. Darla seemed to enjoy a prank as much as he and Bo did.

Luke shook his head and tossed down another forkful of hay. Darla was definitely an interesting girl, and very easy to look at. He liked her a lot, but not the way Bo did. And the way Bo liked her worried him a little. Bo usually laughed off his older cousin's concerns for his love life, but Luke couldn't help thinking this time was different. He'd been shocked to find out Bo hadn't even made it to first base with her. And, he was still just as smitten by her now as he was the day she'd run him over at the bank. Bo wasn't exactly the love-'em-and-leave-'em type, but he was definitely the type to fall head over heels in love one week and lose interest the next. So far that hadn't happened.

Was Bo really falling for her? That part didn't bother him; what bothered him was that he knew Darla wasn't going to stay in Hazzard. And that would either lead Bo away from home, or leave him with a truly broken heart. Luke didn't like either option. He knew better than to say anything to his baby cousin; Bo was the type who had to figure things out on his own. But, being the oldest, Luke worried anyway.

He heard a truck pull in the yard and stop by the barn, accompanied by a loud _bang_. Apparently, Treasure still didn't like Uncle Jesse's trailer. He heard Bo and Darla talking as they got out of the pickup.

"No kiddin'? You actually know him?" Bo was saying.

"Know him? I've raced against him more than once," said Darla, leading Treasure out of the trailer. "Of course, he's beaten me every time I've gone up against him. He's been a great mentor; he doesn't see any reason why women can't be jockeys, and not too many of them think that way. I keep hoping he'll win a Derby; he's had four straight years of heartbreak there."

Luke climbed down the ladder as Bo and Darla walked Treasure into the barn. "Who're you guys talkin' about?"

"Pat Day," they said at the same time. Luke was surprised. "Can you believe that?" said Bo. "One of the most famous jockeys in the world, and she's raced against him!"

"Yep, Papa's gotten him to ride for us a few times," said Darla. "He wanted Pat to ride Treasure here, but this big guy's too much of a lady's man," she said, patting Treasure's neck.

"Well, you race him just fine," said Bo. "I tell ya, Luke, this horse doesn't run, he flies! You shoulda seen him on the track! He could almost give the General a run for his money!" Luke had to grin at his cousin's excitement.

"I doubt that, but he'd try," said Darla. She tossed a tin at Bo. "Would you start rubbing him down? I'm going to check Netty." She clucked to the mare as she opened her stall door.

Luke followed her; Treasure seemed to be warming to Bo a little, and was perfectly charming for Darla and Daisy, but Luke could tell the stallion was still wary of him, and he kept his distance. On the other hand, Netty could be bought for a carrot. Indeed, she sniffed at Luke's pockets as he approached her, looking for a treat. "Sorry, I don't have anything for you right now," he chuckled, scratching her forehead.

"I do," said a voice behind them. Daisy came walking in the barn with a carrot. She broke it and tossed half to Luke. Daisy gave the other half to Treasure while Netty happily gobbled hers. Luke held her halter while Darla ran her hands over Netty's rounded belly.

"How's she doin?" he asked.

"Getting closer every day," said Darla. She gently felt Netty's udder. "We'll have to keep a really close eye on her now; she's definitely ready to foal. She'll probably deliver in the next few days."

"She seems really calm for a mother-to-be," said Luke.

"She's steady as a rock; she's our steeplechaser," said Darla. "They have to be a little calmer; it's not just speed that wins those races. She and Jonas made a good team."

"What brings you out here, Daisy?" asked Bo.

"Well, I'm goin' into town to Maude's Dress Shop to try on dresses for the Hazzard Centennial Dance," she said. "I thought Darla might want to come along and find something too."

"What's the Centennial Dance?" Darla asked.

"Well, Hazzard's turnin' one hundred years old this weekend," said Bo.

"That's right, and everybody's dressin' up in clothes from the period for a big dance tomorrow night," said Daisy.

"Oh," said Darla. She looked troubled. "But…I can't leave the horses unguarded. Not even with Sid and Bernardo in jail. Somebody else from Harold King's organization could still come looking for them."

They hadn't thought of that. "Well," Bo said thoughtfully, "the dance is in the main square in town; maybe we could keep them over at Cooter's for a while."

Luke snapped his fingers. "Old Man Harvey's Blacksmith Shop! We could keep them there for the night!"

"That's right!" Bo agreed. "He's got a few stalls there, I'm sure he wouldn't mind us using 'em for the night!"

"And he's right across from the square; you'd been within sight of them the whole time," said Luke.

Darla nodded. "That could work," she said. "But," she added, "even as a debutante, I was never that good of a dancer." She looked a little embarrassed. "I'll probably look silly."

"Well, shoot, that won't be a problem; you're goin' with me, ain't ya? I'll have you doin' all the right moves out there," said Bo, walking over to her.

Darla raised her eyebrows at him, trying to fight a smile. "So, you're just assuming I'll be going with you, without even asking?" she said lightly. "That's very...confident of you."

Bo looked dumbfounded. Luke and Daisy had to quickly turn aside and stifle a laugh. Luke almost succeeded; Daisy failed entirely. Even Darla had a hard time not laughing as Bo's face turned three shades of red. She leaned toward him. "Of course I'll go with you," she said, quietly enough that only he could hear her. "But, it would be nice if you asked me."

Bo had the grace to look sheepish. "I guess you're right," he said, smiling a little. He cleared his throat nervously. "Darla, would you do—um, I mean, would, would you…" He couldn't get the words out. Suddenly he gave a surprised laugh.

"What?" said Darla.

"It's you," he said, shaking his head at her, almost in wonder. "I can't even think about you without gettin' butterflies. And when I look at you, I get even more." He reached for her hand. He hadn't been this nervous about asking a girl on a date since he was fourteen. "Would you…go to the Centennial Dance with me tomorrow?"

"I'd love to," Darla said quietly, and they both smiled.

"Well, come on then, Darla; let's get you cleaned up so we can get goin', or all the good dresses will be gone!" She reached for Darla's hand.

"You'll let the horses out to pasture?" Darla asked Bo. Bo nodded, and the girls took off for the house. But as they hit the barn door, both of them cried out.

"Bo! Luke! Come 'ere, you gotta see this!" Daisy yelled.

The boys looked at each other and ran for the barn door. They stopped short when the saw what the girls were looking at. A flock of butterflies was making its way across the yard.

"Would you look at that?" Bo said in amazement. Monarchs and swallowtails were flitting lazily through the air.

"I ain't never seen anything like this before," said Luke.

"There must be hundreds of them," Darla said, as they all looked in wonder. She put out her hand; a swallowtail landed lightly on her palm. "Now we both have butterflies," she said, smiling up at Bo. He looked at her in wonder; she blew gently on the butterfly and watched it fly away with the others. Daisy and Darla followed the flock across the yard, heading for the house. Bo watched her go, that same look of amazement on his face. He finally caught Luke looking sideways at him with a smirk. "What're you lookin' at?" he said.

"A love-sick mule, looks like," said Luke. He shook his head. "She really is somethin' special, Bo," he said quietly.

"She's more than that, Luke. She's…" Bo shook his head and sighed, and went back to Treasure in the barn.

_**Bo's definitely got somethin,' don't he? Stick around!**_


	10. Celebration

_**As always, I don't lay claim to DOH; just to Darla and the characters I create. I really wish I could have found a way to post the pictures that inspired me in creating the Dukes' and Darla's costumes for this dance!**_

Bernardo was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling. It hadn't changed since they threw him in this jail cell, but there was nothing else to look at. Sid was fidgeting in the cell next to him; he hadn't been able to hold still since the sheriff had locked them up.

"Don't you ever quit that?" he muttered at Sid. Sid didn't answer, and adjusted himself again.

"Awright boys, here's breakfast for ya," said Cletus, coming down the stairs. "Hey Enos," he said to his fellow deputy. Enos was on guard duty in the basement cells.

"Mornin', Cletus," he said. He got up and stretched; he'd been there all night and was looking forward to getting some sleep. He unlocked the cat doors on Sid and Bernardo's cells so Cletus could push the trays through; after so many escapes by the Dukes, Boss Hogg finally realized the less often they had to unlock the cell doors, the better.

"So," Cletus said lightly, "You, uh…plannin' on headin' out to the Duke farm today?"

"Naw, Cletus, Sheriff Rosco ain't asked me to; why would I go out there?"

"Oh, I just thought, maybe, you'd be askin' Daisy to the dance tomorrow night," Cletus said in that same nonchalant tone.

"Ah, no, Cletus, I couldn't do that," Enos said shyly. "'Sides, she's prob'ly already goin' with somebody."

"Nooooooooo, she ain't," said Cletus, smiling at Enos.

"She ain't? How you do know?"

"Well, I heard from Maybelle, who heard from Miz Tisdale, who heard from Mary Jo, who heard from Miss Maude, who heard from Daisy herself, that Daisy didn't have no date! She's just plannin' on goin' and havin' some fun!"

"Really?" Enos's face brightened. He wasn't really _that_ tired; maybe he could head out there this morning…

"Well, enjoy boys; you sure you don't want that phone call? Ya ain't used yours yet," said Cletus to Sid and Bernardo. They didn't answer. The only one who could bail them out of jail was Harold King, and they knew better than to call him. It would be better to wait and see what kind of jail time the judge gave them. No matter how much time they got, it would still be a better fate than anything Harold King would come up with.

Cletus shrugged and took Enos's place as the other deputy headed up the stairs.

"Cletus! Git up here!" Rosco yelled from the main office. Cletus jumped up and headed up the stairs, closing the chain-link door behind him.

Sid turned to Bernardo. "This'll be our chance," he said. "Everybody will be at this dance, including the law from the sound of it. We can work on busting out and nobody will know we're gone 'til it's too late."

"It won't matter," said Bernardo, still starting at the ceiling. "We'll never get our hands on the horses now; 'Nira won't make the same mistake twice."

"Well, maybe we just haven't persuaded her properly yet," said Sid in an oily voice. "I'm sure I can give her the…proper motivation, if we can just get our hands on her again. Or at least my hands."

Bernardo gave him a disgusted look but said nothing. He still remembered the last time Sid had gotten his hands on his niece. It was something he tried hard not to think about. He hadn't wanted to get involved with Sid in the first place, but his bookie worked for Harold King, and he called the shots. He hadn't wanted to steal those horses either. And he certainly hadn't wanted to leave Darla alone with Sid. It wasn't his fault; things just seemed to get heaped on him, but nobody in his family had ever understood that.

* * *

The next day, Hazzard turned 100 years old, and the Duke farm was crazy with everyone doing their regular work and still trying to get ready for the evening. The boys came back from helping set up the raised dance floor in the town square to find that Daisy and Darla had taken possession of the bathroom. By the time they came out, all the hot water was gone, which led to the boys using a few choice words in the shower that thankfully Uncle Jesse didn't hear.

Daisy was sitting in front of her mirror, finishing putting her hair in rollers, when suddenly Darla burst in, with her dress and petticoats in hand. She quickly shut the door and leaned against it. "I can't do it," she blurted out. Her eyes were big as saucers.

"Darla, what's the matter? You said the dress fit right yesterday," said Daisy.

"It's not that," Darla said. She gestured to her face and hair with a helpless look. "I can't do all of this. I have no idea how to look good for Bo—I mean, for everyone. I'm always around horses; they don't care how I look!" She sounded panicky.

Daisy looked shocked. "Darla, what are you talkin' about? You were a debutante!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, but we had teams of trained professionals who got us ready for that!"

Daisy laughed. "Well, you come on over here and sit yourself down," she said, and moved out of her chair. "I'm no trained professional, but I'll make sure that Bo—and every other boy at this dance—is trippin' over himself tryin' to meet you."

Darla smiled in spite of herself as she sat down. "I don't know about the trained professional part," she said. "I saw the way all the guys at the Boar's Nest watched you; I doubt there's one head in Hazzard that you haven't turned."

"Well, thank you!" said Daisy.

As she plugged in her curling iron and started brushing Darla's hair, Daisy noticed the redhead's expression. "Is somethin' else wrong, sugar?"

Darla looked a little troubled. "Daisy, did I say something wrong at Maude's yesterday?"

"Of course not, why?"

Darla shrugged. "It just seemed like everyone was staring at me, and not all the stares were friendly. I was just wondering if I committed a Hazzard social blunder or something."

Daisy's smile faded. She'd noticed the stares too. "Well, now, I wouldn't worry too much about that, sugar," she said quickly. "Truth is, more than a few girls in Hazzard are turning a few shades of green right now. And that's 'cause you have completely turned one of the hottest heads in town." Her smile widened again. "In fact, since you got here, one of Hazzard's two most eligible bachelors is officially off the market. Why, I've never seen Bo look at a girl before the way he looks at you."

"Really?"

"Trust me, Darla. I've know Bo almost his whole life. The way you've got him wrapped around your finger is definitely a first for him."

Darla looked a little worried at that, but smiled. "Bo really is sweet, isn't he?" she said quietly.

"And he is really sweet on you, sugar," said Daisy. Although, judging by the smile on Darla's face, she wasn't sure who was sweeter on whom.

* * *

"Geez, Bo, would ya sit down already? You're makin' me nervous," said Luke.

Bo was pacing around the living room. He was twirling a pink rose between his fingers, the most perfect one he could find, from Aunt Livinia's prize rosebush. Daisy had cracked her bedroom door earlier and whispered for him to get one. He stopped in front of the mirror and started to adjust his tie again.

"Turn around," said Luke, getting up. Bo faced his cousin and let him re-tie the knot at his throat. "I ain't seen you this nervous about a date since you were in the sixth grade," Luke said casually, trying to hide a smile.

"Hey, that was different," said Bo. "Ruth Ann was about five inches taller than me back then. I was afraid she'd punch my lights out if I didn't show up on time!"

"Hey Daisy, hurry it up!" Jesse yelled toward Daisy's closed door. "There's two of ya in there, an' yer takin' twice as long!"

"We'll be right out!" the girls called in unison.

Luke rolled his eyes. "That response must be hard-wired into a woman's genes," he muttered.

He smoothed Bo's tie back; Bo pulled at his collar and promptly knocked it askew again. "How in the heck did anybody wear these monkey suits without going crazy?" he said.

Bo and Luke were both pulling at their high collars; the regular suits they wore on Sundays were bad enough, but these were worse. They were in knee-length coats with matching vests and trousers. They'd both been shocked to find their shirts buttoned up the back instead of the front. "Well, at least ya couldn't get outta one without your woman helpin' ya," Bo had joked. But, with three layers of clothes on, they were sweltering. At least they got to wear their boots instead of dress shoes.

"You get used to it. This was everyday wear back then, ya know," said Jesse. He looked completely at home in his suit.

"You know, Uncle Jesse, the way you wear that, I think you could wear it to church this Sunday and no one would look twice," said Bo with a grin.

Daisy's door cracked open. "All right, ya'll ready?"

"We've been ready!" Luke called back.

Daisy came out first. The boys exclaimed as she did a spin for them. Daisy's dress was a sea of periwinkle blue ruffles, trimmed in dark blue. She'd pinned her hair back into long ringlets that cascaded down her back. Long white gloves reached past her elbows. A blue lace fan was strapped over her wrist; she snapped it out and fanned it in front of her face as she did a curtsy for them. "Whaddya think?" she said.

"You are the prettiest cousin, as usual, Daisy!" said Bo, relaxing a little. "Although you're figure looks a little different," he added. Daisy's waist was smaller than he'd ever seen it before.

"It's the corset, ya dummy," she said. "It's supposed to make your figure look smaller."

"Yeah, well, it's makin' _some_ of your figure look bigger," Bo teased, gesturing to Daisy's low-cut neckline. "You know Enos's jaw is gonna fall off when he sees ya." Daisy snapped her fan shut and whacked Bo in the arm with it. He dodged out of the way, laughing. Then he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned, and his jaw dropped.

Darla's dress was a rosy pink, with wine-colored trim, which set off her dark red hair. Wine-colored satin roses rimmed the low neckline. Ribbons of satin held the dress to her shoulders. Like Daisy, she was also wearing long white gloves. Daisy had pinned Darla's hair into a crown of soft curls, with a few long ringlets brushing her shoulder.

Luke and Jesse both smiled appreciatively at her, but Bo was nearly breathless as he walked up to her. "You are absolutely beautiful," he whispered. Darla smiled shyly as Bo gave her the rose he was holding.

"Hey, Daisy, isn't that Aunt Martha's brooch you're wearing?" Luke asked.

"Sure is," she said. She'd taken her Aunt's cameo and pinned it to a blue velvet ribbon, and tied it at her throat.

"But you didn't find anything for Darla," said Uncle Jesse.

"Oh, gosh! I'm sorry, Darla, I didn't even think about that!" said Daisy.

"That's all right, Daisy—"

"Now, hold on," said Jesse, and quickly walked back to his room. He came back with a strand of pearls. "These were the boys' and Daisy's Aunt Livinia's," he said proudly.

Darla's eyes widened. "Oh, no, Jesse, I couldn't—"

"Now, now, don't tell me no, Darla," said Jesse, and draped the pearls around Darla's neck. "I insist."

Darla smiled as she touched the pearls. "Thank you," she murmured.

"And I insist that we get movin', or the dance will be over before we even get there!" said Luke. "Martha Ann's gotta be wonderin' where in the heck I am, and Enos is probably on pins and needles waitin' on you, Daisy!"

"Yeah, who knows how much courage it took him to come out here and finally ask you to the dance yesterday!" Bo teased.

"Prob'ly almost as much as it took you to ask Darla," Daisy fired back.

"Jesse, it's a shame you don't have a partner for tonight," said Darla.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," said Jesse, and lifted an empty moonshine jug. "I'm playin' in the band!"

* * *

The dance was in full swing when the Dukes got there. Martha Ann and Enos quickly made Luke and Daisy disappear onto the dance floor. Bo said hello to the people he knew—which was just about everyone—and started introducing Darla. Daisy had done her job well; most of the young men, and several of the older ones, were indeed practically tripping over themselves trying to get introduced to her. Just about all the girls were staring at Bo and Darla, and Daisy was right—a few of them were definitely turning shades of green.

Finally, Bo got Darla out on the dance floor. He was a strong lead, and it turned out that in spite of her worries, Darla danced quite well when it came to jukin', and they kept taking center stage on the dance floor. But every other time the music changed, people kept cutting in on them, asking Darla for a dance. Bo was never lacking for a partner, but he couldn't help looking for Darla on the dance floor, and seeing her smiling with everyone she danced with left him scowling. He just about swallowed his teeth when he saw Hazzards's young lawyer Gary Butler walk up to her, give her a formal bow, and extend his hand to her. She smiled and curtsied in return, and they headed out for a waltz. They quickly had everyone watching. Despite his jealousy, Bo had to admit, Darla looked beautiful when she danced like that. Bo was good at jukin', but he couldn't waltz.

Eventually he found himself at the punch bowl as the girls took to the floor for a line dance. Darla was in between Martha Ann and Daisy, trying to figure out the steps when everyone's legs were hidden by the long skirts.

Bo suddenly found a cup of punch being thrust under his nose. He looked and saw Luke holding it. "Y'know, you're gonna get a permanent crease in your forehead if you keep scowlin' like that," he said.

Bo said nothing; if anything, his frown deepened.

Luke saw it. "Come on, Bo, when's the last time you think Darla got to have any fun? Let her have a good time."

Bo huffed a sigh, but he looked a little guilty. "Bo," said Luke, "She came with you, and she didn't have to. And, five bucks says she's goin' home with you, so relax, okay?" Bo smiled a little at that, and they both watched the girls turn and spin on the dance floor.

Suddenly they heard the base and cymbal of "Cotton-Eyed Joe" start, and the girls all cheered. Darla quickly looked around; her face lit up with a smile when she locked eyes with Bo. She ran over and dragged him out on the dance floor with a laugh. After stomping through the song, they were breathless and laughing as the music slowed, and Bo pulled her into his arms.

"So, is this anything like all them debutante's balls you went to?" asked Bo as they danced.

"Hardly; this is a lot more fun!" said Darla. Her cheeks were almost as pink as her dress from dancing. "And the company's better too."

"Yeah, your folks prob'ly had you dancin' with a bunch of stuffed shirts at one of those things, didn't they?" asked Bo.

Darla shrugged and smiled a little. "They weren't all bad," she said. "Technically, until a girl makes her debut, she's supposed to be off-limits to the boys. So a debutante's ball is a chance for all the boys to finally introduce themselves." She laughed a little and said, "Of course, that whole concept went out the window a long time ago, so I'm not really sure what the point is anymore."

Bo's expression changed as she spoke. Darla noticed and said, "What's wrong?"

Bo frowned a little. "I was just…wonderin' if your folks ever would have allowed someone as uncultured as me anywhere near you."

Darla slowed her steps. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you're a society girl," said Bo. "And I'm just a farm boy from Georgia. Would your parents have allowed it?" He heard his voice grow harder, but he ignored it. The jealousy he'd felt earlier watching her dance with everyone else, especially Gary, started to bubble up again. "I mean, we already know your Mama wanted the best for her only daughter. I can't imagine your Daddy would have been any different. Didn't they have someone _eligible_ lined up for you? Would you even have looked for yourself? Or would you have passed me over as the farm boy that I am?"

Darla stopped moving and just stared at him. The hurt and anger were plain on her face. After a minute she finally said, "Well, I'm glad you think we're so high-falutin' in Kentucky!" And she stalked off the dance floor.

As he watched her leave, suddenly what he'd said replayed through his mind. _Bo, you jackass!_ "No, wait—Darla!" He pushed past other couples and ran after her. Luke spun Martha Ann to get her out of the way as he rushed off the dance floor.

"What do you s'pose that was about?" asked Martha Ann.

"Well, knowin' Bo, he probably just stuck his foot in his mouth," said Luke.

"Should we go after them?"

Luke watched Darla fading into the darkness with Bo running after her. "Nah—Bo's perfected the fine art of grovelin' after sayin' the wrong thing to a girl. 'Fact I'm surprised—this may be the first time he's done it with her."

Martha Ann giggled. "You know, she seems sweet, that Darla. I was talking with her during some of the girls' dances. She's nice."

"Yeah, she is." Luke's smile faded a little as he said, "Bo's really gonna be hurtin' when she leaves."

"You really think she won't stay? I mean, she and Bo are just…I dunno…_right_."

"What do you mean?"

Martha Ann gave Luke a look. "You can't be that deaf, Luke—everybody in Hazzard's talkin' about those two. Everyone thinks it's just a matter of time."

"Oh, please," said Luke, "The women say that every time Bo goes on more than two dates with a girl."

"That's kind of the point. When's the last time they weren't seen together? Not since the day she got here. And I've seen two people look that way at each other before; they usually wind up married."

Luke smirked a little, looking down at her. "You tryin' to get me to look at you like that?"

"Not yet," Martha Ann smiled, "But maybe I'm getting there."

* * *

Over at the jail house, there came a sound of breaking glass. Boss Hogg hated spending money on the jail, and didn't see why an alarm on the cell windows would be necessary. After all, _he_ couldn't fit through the windows. Two dark shapes wriggled through the opening and slipped into the night.

* * *

"Darla, wait—please!" Bo forgot just how quick Darla could move; by the time he got off the stage, she had disappeared into the darkness beyond the floodlights. "Darla?" She didn't answer, but he heard light footsteps on the rotunda. As he jogged up the steps, he found her standing with her back to him, her arms crossed. As his eyes adjusted to the moonlight, he saw one hand brush across her eyes.

"Darla?" Still nothing. "Darla, I'm—I'm so sorry, I—I never should have said that, that was—"

"It was a low blow was what it was." Darla's voice was harsh. "I figured you had a jealous temper, but that was—" She shook her head. "Truth is, Bo, I think Mama and Papa would have wanted me to be happy, no matter who I chose. We might be—might have been— a powerful family, but they never would have forced me into a marriage because there was benefit in it for them. I would have fought them tooth and nail if it wasn't what I wanted. But I'll never get to ask them, will I?" Her voice quavered a little.

_Dang it._ How could he have acted like that? It was like his mouth just ran off with him. "Darla, I—" Bo had no idea what to say. For being so full of words a minute ago, he didn't have any now that were going to make up for this. Why would he say something so stupid to a girl that was so amazing?

"Darla, do you realize just how amazing you are?" She still didn't turn around, but he heard a sniff in response. "No, really, I mean it," said Bo. He walked up and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. He took it as a good sign that she didn't shrug him off. "I've thought that since I laid eyes on you."

Darla laughed a little, in spite of herself. "Wasn't I pointing a gun at you the first time you laid eyes on me?"

Bo laughed too. "No, that was the second time. The Hazzard Bank, when you bowled me over, was the first time." He smiled as he remembered just how his stomach had flipped over when he first looked at her. "Darla, you're smart, you're warm-hearted, and you've got an amazing core of strength in you. I think you're one of the bravest people I know." He turned Darla to face him. "You ride better than anyone I know, and you drive _almost_ as good as me." That earned him a smirk. "And to top all that off, I can't take my eyes off you, beautiful as you are," he said softly. Darla looked down and smiled a little. Bo looked at her a little closer. "Shoot, if it wasn't for this moonlight, would I see you blushin' right now?" Bo's smile widened as he said it.

"_Deténgase_; Cut it out, I'm supposed to be mad at you."

Bo gave her his best set of puppy dog eyes. "But ya ain't anymore?"

Darla gave him a reluctant grin. "Maybe not as much." Then she turned serious. "But that was still a pretty hurtful thing to say, and I don't know what possessed you to say it."

Bo looked down. "I know, and really, I'm sorry. I guess I just—well, I've been so used to havin' you all to myself, and—now suddenly everybody wants to be around you, and I wondered—if this had been one of those debutante's balls, would you ever have noticed me out of all them other rich fellas tryin' to get your attention?" He shrugged. "I guess I figured you wouldn't."

Darla looked thoughtful. "Well, truth be told—" Then she looked at him again, and said, "Yes. I think I would have."

"Really?"

"Well, you _are_ about a head taller than everyone I know," said Darla, which made Bo laugh a little. "And that—that right there," she said, nodding at Bo's smile, "I would have noticed that. It could be the darkest hour before dawn, Bo Duke, and that smile of yours would make it bright as day." Bo's smile turned just a little sheepish, but Darla saw it. "Shoot, if it wasn't for this moonlight, would I see _you_ blushin' right now?"

They both laughed as Bo stepped closer and touched his forehead to hers. Not an easy thing to do, when he was so much taller than she was. Darla closed her eyes; Bo heard her sigh softly. Bo raised one hand and very gently touched her cheek. This time, she didn't freeze; she turned her head and leaned into his touch a little. Bo's breath caught as he cupped her cheek and let his thumb brush over her lips. He felt her tremble.

"Darla…" he whispered, leaning toward her.

"We should go back," she whispered back.

Bo stopped. He tried to hide his disappointment, but he nodded. Whatever Darla's reasons were for not liking him that way, he wouldn't push her. "If that's what you want to do," he said.

Darla didn't move. "I said we _should_ go back," she said quietly, looking up at him. "I didn't say I wanted to."

Bo didn't hesitate; he lowered his head and gently pressed his lips to hers. His arms slid around her waist and pulled her closer. He felt her arms clasp around his neck, and he sighed as he kissed her deeper. Her lips felt exactly like he imagined they would; soft and hot, and they tasted like the fruit punch. They were close enough to the dance to hear the echoes of laughter and music across the square, but Bo didn't notice. Right then, nothing else mattered. It was just the moonlight, the brush of her breath on his face, and the softness of her lips on his.

When they finally broke apart, Bo's head was spinning. For a moment, neither of them spoke, but just stood there, their foreheads touching again. They could still hear the music playing on the stage. "I always liked this song," Darla murmured.

"Should we go back now?" Bo whispered, brushing his lips against her cheek as he said it.

"I like a lot of songs," she said, and Bo pulled her close again.


	11. Broken

Sid and Bernardo could hear music and shouts coming from the town square. They crept along the edge of the buildings, staying out of reach of the streetlights.

"We need to find us some wheels," said Bernardo. They started looking along the street for an unlocked car, when they heard laughter coming from somewhere near them. They immediately crouched down, but it didn't seem like anyone had seen them. They heard voices again; they seemed to be coming from the rotunda. In the dim light from the streetlamp, they saw a tall man with a very short girl. Even with the bluish cast of the light, it was obvious the girl's hair was red.

"Score," said Sid. "That must be that blond hick from the farm with her."

"So what do we do?"

"We get rid of him, and find a place to persuade her," said Sid.

"I don't think I'd wanna take that guy on in a fight, even at two to one," said Bernardo. "And 'Nira's bound to make noise."

"Then you make sure she _doesn't_ make noise," said Sid. He grabbed a short board lying on the grass and said, "I'll do the rest."

* * *

"You're getting the hang of it; should we try it on the dance floor now?"

"I dunno," said Bo with a grin. "I think the waltz keeps me too far away from you," he said, and pulled her closer.

Darla sighed as he kissed her again. She wasn't a stranger to romance, but it had been a very long time since she'd thought about it. Or, had someone to make her think about it. And Bo was definitely making her think about it. "We should go back," she murmured.

"Mmmm, you said that once before, an' we're still here; you sure you want to?" Bo let his lips trail across her jaw and down her neck as he said it.

Darla smiled as she shivered. "Do you think there's anyone who _hasn't_ noticed we've left?"

"Prob'ly not," said Bo, remembering how they'd left. He sighed and took her hand. "We're gonna pick this up where we left off, ya know," he smiled, and let his lips brush across hers one more time. "C'mon," he said, and they walked down the stairs and down the path toward the dance floor. He knew everyone would know why they'd been gone, but he didn't care; in fact, the thought made him smile even more. He'd been wondering for a while what kissing Darla would be like, and he definitely wasn't disappointed; it was everything he'd daydreamed of and more. Holding her hand as they walked back toward the dance floor, he was happier than he could remember being in a long time.

He was thinking about ways to make the night continue, when he heard footsteps behind him. Before he could turn, he felt something hit him. Sparks flew across his vision, and he heard a gasp as everything went black.

* * *

Sid and Bernardo crept up behind Darla and Bo as they headed across the square. Taking a firm grip on the board, Sid reached up and whacked Bo across the back of the head. He dropped to the ground and didn't move. Darla gasped; before she could do anything, she felt a hand crush her mouth. Someone grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off her feet. She screamed, but it was pushed back down her throat.

"Let's go!" Darla heard someone say. Her blood turned to ice; she knew that voice. She fought against the hands holding her, but her captor had pinned her arms down. She felt him adjust his hand on her mouth; she seized her chance and bit down as hard as she could. She heard him shout in pain and curse. She knew the second voice too, but she couldn't dwell on it. She took a breath and screamed as loud as she could.

* * *

Everyone turned toward the sound. Luke, Cooter and Enos didn't hesitate; they left their partners and ran. Luke flew down the riser steps and quickly scanned the square. He saw a dark shape lying on the path. Even from a distance, he could see the blond hair.

"Bo!" he shouted. He ran and knelt beside him, and rolled him over. "Bo, wake up!" he called.

Cooter and Enos quickly joined him. "Where's Darla?" asked Cooter. They looked around, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Bo, wake up, please!" said Luke.

"Oooooohhhhhhh…" Bo moaned. He winced, blinked and opened his eyes. Luke and Cooter helped him sit up.

"What happened?" Luke asked.

"I dunno," Bo mumbled, putting a hand to his head. "We were walkin' back, and somebody…" Suddenly he looked around. "Oh, God, where's Darla?"

The others looked at each other as an awful realization dawned on them. "I'm gonna go check the jail, y'all," said Enos, and took off across the square as Daisy came running. "What happened? Bo, are you all right? Where's Darla, was that her?" she quickly asked.

"Sid and Bernardo?' asked Cooter.

"Bo's down, and Darla's gone; it's gotta be them," Luke said grimly. He looked around again. "We gotta split up and look for 'em. Daisy, go with Cooter and work your way toward Harvey's; Bo an' me'll go around toward the courthouse. If we hurry, they won't get far."

* * *

Wood splintered as Sid kicked in the back door of the Furniture Mart. Bernardo dragged Darla in after him. His bleeding hand was still clamped firmly over her mouth, and he'd pinned her arms painfully behind her back. Between that and her long skirts, she was in no position to fight back, but that didn't mean she wasn't trying.

Sid looked around and grabbed a long knife from a table, the kind used to cut leather. He put it to her throat. She stopped struggling, and looked at him with a mix of rage and fear.

"It's a shame that idiot deputy took my K-Bar; that just seemed to fit so well on that pretty neck of yours," said Sid, leering at her. He let the tip of the knife drift down to the neckline of her gown.

Darla could taste Bernardo's blood in her mouth from when she'd bitten him. Now with her uncle holding her powerless, and Sid looking her up and down as if wondering where to start working her over, she found herself in the very nightmare she'd been running from for so long. _Not this. Please, please not this,_ she thought wildly in her head. She started to panic; her chest heaved as she desperately tried to draw breath.

"Don't scream again," Bernardo growled at her. She shook her head, and Bernardo relaxed his grip on her mouth, but kept her arms pinned.

"It's time to cough up, Dayanira; Harold King wants his money," said Sid.

"You know I will give you _nothing,_" Darla spat at him.

"Oh, you'll give me _something,_ bitch," said Sid, and a hideous smile spread across his face.

"Enough, Sid," said Bernardo, and relaxed his grip on Darla's arms. "'Nira, I never wanted this. Just give King what he wants, and this will all stop. He's not an unreasonable man."

Despite her adrenaline rush, Darla still had her sarcasm. "Not unreasonable? Really? After everything you've done? This is a hell of a way to convince me of that!"

Sid stepped up and backhanded her. "I'll convince you any way I like," he snapped at her. "King doesn't care what shape you wind up in, just so long as he gets what's due him."

Darla slowly straightened up and looked at Sid in pure fury.

Bernardo said, "Just do it, 'Nira—"

"_Quit calling me that!"_ she yelled. "You are no longer my family; you have _no right_!" She struggled against his hold. Sid backhanded her again. Darla felt like her head exploded with the blow; her legs started shaking.

Sid grabbed her jaw and forced her to look at him. "You know I don't mind marking you up," he hissed, "and I'll do it all night if I have to." He shoved her back against Bernardo; her head slumped forward, and she gasped for breath.

"Give us some privacy, Bernardo," Sid sneered.

Darla felt Bernardo's grip loosen again, when there was a crash from outside the door. Sid and Bernardo both turned; Darla snapped her head back as hard as she could, and felt it connect with Bernardo's face. She heard a satisfying crunch as his nose broke. She took off for the door as he let go of her arms and clutched at his face. Sid made a grab for her, but she spun and whipped her elbow across his face and caught him in the eye.

If she hadn't been wearing the dress, she might have made it. But she was hampered by her long skirts, which gave Sid the advantage he needed. He tackled her from behind and pulled her to the floor. "Go find out what that noise was!" said Sid. Bernardo nodded numbly and staggered out the door. "Well?"

"Must have been a dog," said Bernardo.

"Well, stay out there!" Sid yelled back.

Darla struggled again, but Sid flipped her over and pinned her. "You know," he whispered hoarsely, "I'm almost glad you wanted to do this the hard way; I never got to finish what I started with you. And you have a lot more fight in you since the last time." He put the knife to her throat.

* * *

Bo and Luke half-jogged around the square, looking for Darla. "I can't believe this," said Bo. "How could I have been so stupid?"

"Bo, they snuck up on you from behind and knocked you out! It wasn't your fault!" said Luke.

"Luke, if those bastards have Darla, do you really think that's gonna make her feel any better?" said Bo.

They heard footsteps and saw people running from the courthouse building. "They're gone, y'all!" they heard Enos yell. Rosco was huffing and puffing to keep up with him. "They busted out them little back windows of the cells; somehow they managed to climb the walls and get out!"

"_Dang it!_" said Bo as Daisy and Cooter came running up.

"We didn't find nothin, y'all," said Cooter.

"You think they would have stolen a car?" asked Daisy.

Luke quickly scanned the square. "I don't think so; the whole square's packed full of cars, and I don't see any missin'," he said. He looked over at the rotunda. "They hit you from behind, Bo, so they had to have hidden right there by those bushes. And once they grabbed Darla, they would have wanted to get back under cover as quick as possible. There's a few alleys over by Ruebottom's; let's check there."

They headed across the street, scanning the buildings as they went. "You hear that?" said Bo. They all stopped and listened. Suddenly they heard a muffled yell: _"…have no right!"_

"That's Darla!" Bo exclaimed. He started to run toward the sound, but Luke stopped him.

"Wait," he said quickly. "Let's figure out where they are. If they know we're comin', we may wind up with a standoff. Let's see if we can get the drop on 'em." They crept along the edge of the buildings, and heard voices coming from the Furniture Mart. Luke silently gestured to the others, and pointed at the splintered door.

"Bo," he whispered, and pointed at the fire escape. Bo quickly climbed the metal rungs until he reached the balcony window. He was wondering how to open it without being heard, when he heard a crash from below.

"Rosco!" he heard Cooter and Luke whisper. The sheriff had stumbled into the garbage cans. Bo took advantage and opened the window; it squealed in protest, but it didn't seem like they heard.

"Go find out what that noise was!" Bo heard Sid say. Bo looked back in time to see Cooter and Luke wrestle Bernardo to the ground as soon as he stepped outside.

"Well?" Sid called out.

"Must have been a dog," Luke called back, in a fair impression of Bernardo's voice.

"Well, stay out there!" Sid yelled back.

Bo crept through the open space of the balcony to get a look at the floor below. "You know," he heard Sid say, "I'm almost glad you wanted to do this the hard way; I never got to finish what I started with you. And you have a lot more fight in you since the last time."

Bo's eyes widened at Sid's words. He looked over the edge of the balcony. Sid had Darla pinned to the ground. One hand held Mr. Waldron's leather knife to her throat; the other was trying to yank her skirts up. Darla's eyes were squeezed shut; she was trying to fight him, but with the knife pressed against her neck she could barely move.

Right then, Bo saw red. He jumped off the balcony, tackling Sid off Darla and crushing him to the floor. Sid grunted in surprise. Bo shoved Sid back and threw a punch at him. Sid dodged it and sliced the leather knife through the air. Bo jumped back to avoid it and tackled Sid again with all the force of his linebacker days. The force of it knocked the wind out of Sid, and he lost his grip on the knife. They both wrestled for it; Sid was pinned to the floor but managed to give Bo a punch in the jaw. He lunged for the knife, but a booted foot suddenly came down on it, barely missing his hand.

"Freeze!" yelled Rosco. For a crazy second, Bo wondered if Rosco would simply point at him, but no; at some point, Rosco and Enos both had donned their gunbelts, and Rosco had his issue pointed at Sid's head.

Bo took the opportunity and slugged Sid across the face. He would have done more, but Rosco grabbed him and shoved him away.

"On yer knees, I'm gonna cuff ya an' stuff ya!" he yelled at Sid. He kept himself between Sid and Bo. Rosco may have been a bumbling sheriff, but he knew when a fight was about to get ugly. He saw the look in Bo's eyes; Luke was the better fighter, but Bo was more than mad enough to do Sid some serious damage, and for once, Rosco didn't want to arrest a Duke for fighting.

Bo tried to catch his breath and looked around. Cooter and Enos had Bernardo on his knees by the door. Bernardo's nose was blackened and crooked from Darla's head-butt. Darla was clinging to Daisy.

Bo started to move toward her, and groaned as he felt a searing pain go through his arm. Suddenly, Luke was there, yanking Bo's coat off. "Gimme your kerchief," Luke said quickly. Bo looked down and saw that his suit coat was sliced through, and blood was quickly soaking his shirtsleeve and dripping off his fingers.

"I guess I wasn't fast enough," said Bo. He was surprised that he sounded so calm.

Luke didn't answer; he was busy knotting his and Bo's kerchiefs together. He'd paled when he'd seen Sid slash at Bo with the knife. Bo didn't know he'd been hit, but Luke did. Bo groaned again as Luke bound his arm.

"We'd better find Doc Applebee; this is gonna need stitches," said Luke. Bo just nodded; the pain was really hitting him now.

"Darla?" Bo walked over to her. She was still clinging to Daisy. Her hair was disheveled, the bodice of her dress was torn, and her cheek was swelling. Her eyes were staring and vacant.

"Darla?" he said again. He was worried; he'd never seen that look in her eyes before.

"Let's get her out of here," Luke said very softly. Bo put his arm around Darla and felt her trembling. He and Daisy kept her close between them and helped her out the door with the others following behind.

* * *

"Aaauuugh! Ow! Ow! Geez, Doc, what're ya doin'?" yelled Bo.

"I've just given you a little Lidocaine to numb your arm; I said it might burn a little," said Doc Applebee calmly.

"A _little_? It feels like you just branded me!" Bo fired back.

Doc shook his head as he cleaned the slash in Bo's arm. "You know, Beauregard, with all the times I've had to stitch you up for one thing or another, I would think you'd be used to this by now," he said.

"Hey, I ain't the only one you've had to stitch up," Bo replied. He sounded testy, but the glance he shot at his cousin was slightly amused. Doc had often joked that Bo and Luke were half the reason he stayed gainfully employed.

The needle Doc Applebee was wielding wasn't the only thing making Bo anxious. In order to keep from looking at his arm, he'd turned his head in the other direction, but that had him looking at the closed bathroom door. Darla hadn't said a word on the way home. After Daisy helped her out of her dress, Darla had sat at the kitchen table with an ice bag on her face for a few minutes. Bo wanted to put his arms around her, but she'd sat across from him, and she wouldn't meet anyone's eyes. Suddenly she'd jumped up and excused herself.

"Bo, I'm sure she needs a few minutes alone," Daisy said.

Bo clenched his teeth and groaned as the needle pierced his arm again. He didn't care what Doc said about Lidocaine; he could still feel it. "Dang that Boss Hogg!" he yelled, needing a way to vent his pain and frustration. "How many times have we thought about usin' them windows to get outta them cells, Luke? And now look what happened! Who knows what those two would have done to her if we hadn't found her? Dang him!" Bo clenched his other fist as Doc started another stitch.

"That's enough, Bo," Jesse said gruffly. "The important thing is that Darla and the horses are safe."

"Well, Bo's right about one thing," said Luke. "Maybe we never used those windows to escape, but we could have, and we pointed that out to Rosco more than once. And Boss got that state money last year to improve the cells; now he's gonna have to explain how and why those two got loose."

Bo looked again at the closed door. Daisy shook her head, quietly left the kitchen and headed for the bathroom. She knocked softly, but there was no answer. "Darla?" she called quietly. Darla still didn't answer. Daisy knocked again. "Darla?" she called, louder this time. Bo leaned forward; Doc firmly pushed him back into his chair and started binding his arm.

Daisy tried the door, and found it unlocked. "Darla?" she called again, and poked her head around the door. "Darla, are you—" she suddenly stopped and pushed the door open. "Darla? Darla!"

The bathroom curtains blew gently in the evening breeze, but Darla wasn't there. Daisy ran back to the kitchen. "She's gone!"

"_What?_" Bo jumped to his feet. "How could she be gone?"

"The window's open; she must have climbed out!"

Luke jumped up too. "She couldn't have gone that far," he said, more to reassure Bo than anything. "She probably just went out to the barn."

"I'll go look out front," said Daisy.

"Why would she go out through the window?" said Bo, grabbing another shirt from his room.

Luke had an idea, but didn't want to say it out loud. They headed out the back door and jogged for the barn. Treasure and Netty both looked at them as they turned the lights on.

Bo looked in Treasure's stall. "Hey, boy," Bo said softly, rubbing the stallion's nose. "Where is she, huh? Where's your lady?"

Luke looked in Netty's stall as the mare nuzzled him. He heard a faint scratching from the barn loft. He froze and listened. There it was again, but he thought he heard something else—a faint sniffling sound.

"Bo," Luke mouthed. He looked up and pointed at the loft. Bo nodded and quietly climbed the loft ladder. "Darla?" He reached the top and looked around. The loft was shrouded in soft darkness, with only a few cracks of light coming up from the floor below, and a square of palest blue moonlight shining through the loft window. Bo took a few steps. "Darla?" he said again, walking past piles of hay. He heard a faint noise and looked in the corner by the window.

Darla was sitting in the corner, her arms wrapped tightly around her legs and her head resting on her knees. "Darla?" said Bo. She didn't answer. "Darla, what're you doin' up here? Why didn't you answer me? We were all worried—" He reached down and touched Darla's shoulder as he spoke. He wasn't prepared for the reaction he got.

Darla flinched and shrank away from his touch. She pulled herself into an even tighter ball, buried her head and clasped her hands behind her neck. He heard a whimper escape her throat. Even in the dark, he could see her shaking.

Bo jerked his hand back. He looked surprised; then his expression changed. He'd seen Darla angry, he'd seen her happy and laughing, and he'd seen her afraid, but he'd never seen her like this. Darla had the strongest, most amazing spirit he'd ever known besides Daisy. To see it broken like this broke his heart.

Slowly, he sat down next to her. "Hey," he whispered, and put his arms around her. She flinched again and tried to pull away, but he pulled her onto his lap and folded her into an embrace. "Shhhhh, c'mere," he whispered to her, and pulled her head to his shoulder. He heard her breath hitch in her throat as she choked and whimpered. "Shhh, honey, shhhh, it's okay, darlin', it's okay, I've got you. You're safe," he murmured.

Darla took a shaky breath; it came out with a strangled sound. She'd been alone for so long. She'd had no one to lean on but herself, no matter what happened. She'd been tested to the limits of her strength, body and soul, over the past year. The loneliness had almost overwhelmed her at times, but she'd become all the stronger for it. She liked to think she had a core of steel beneath the pretty exterior many said she had. But the steel could still be shattered; it nearly had been tonight. Now she could feel Bo's heart beating low and strong. His arms felt warm around her; she felt completely enveloped by his embrace. And he'd saved her. He'd saved her from...

Bo felt her shake harder as she broke down in sobs. Bo held her tighter and gently rocked her back and forth as all the fear and terror she'd felt came pouring out of her. He leaned back against the wall and felt tears prick at his own eyes. He'd wanted the night to end with Darla in his arms, but not like this. _Not like this._


	12. Getting Past It

"It wasn't the first time."

"Hmmmm?" said Bo. He'd fallen into a doze, but Darla's voice made him stir. He was lying back in the hay, on a couple of old blankets they kept in the loft. Darla was curled up next to him. It had taken her a long time to cry herself into exhaustion. They were both exhausted when she finally grew quiet, but she didn't want to go back to the house and face everyone, and Bo wasn't about to leave her alone.

He'd never felt so helpless. Darla had cried her heart out for what seemed like hours. He'd held her close, stroked her hair, and comforted her as best he knew how. He wanted nothing more than to take away her pain, but the best he could do was see her through it. She'd been quiet for so long he thought she'd fallen asleep, so he let himself nod off.

"I said, it wasn't the first time," said Darla. Her voice was rough. "With Sid."

Bo shifted a little and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

He felt Darla sigh. "Remember when I said Bernardo tried to steal a couple of our horses?" Bo nodded. "Sid was with him that night."

Suddenly Bo understood something. "And you were the one who caught 'em, weren't you?" he said.

Darla nodded. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to block the memories out, but they came anyway. This time, the words came too.

_It was hot, far too hot, even for a June night in Kentucky. Darla rolled back and forth in bed, trying to find a cool spot on the sheets, but it was no good. She kicked the covers back and sat up. Maybe a walk would cool her off._

_She grabbed a carrot from the fridge and headed out the kitchen door. In the moonlight, she could see several dark shapes dotting the pastures. Some of the horses were in the barns, but several of them were resting in the grass, trying to stay cool._

_She walked along the ten-foot path dividing the stallion paddocks, and let out a soft whistle. A tall chestnut stallion with a white star raised his head and walked over to her. "Evening, Big Guy," she murmured to Treasure's grandfather. She fed him a piece of her carrot, which he gobbled quickly. She decided to head for the south pastures and find Delilah, her riding horse, but as she passed one of the broodmare barns, she thought she heard voices._

_She crept along the side of the barn to the door and listened. Were the barn hands awake tonight, too?_

"_Not that one, THAT one," she heard someone say. The voice sounded familiar. She heard two horses being led down the aisle. She frowned; the barn hands wouldn't be moving horses at this hour. She came around the corner and hit the lights. All of them blinked and stared at each other. Darla saw two men leading two horses. One was scrawny with a __thin__ nose, shifty eyes, and a host of scars across his face and arms, and was looking at her like he could see through the thin t-shirt and shorts she was wearing. The other—_

_Darla's eyes widened. "Tio Bernardo?" she said. "What—what are you doing?"_

_Bernardo stared at her in horror, trying to find his voice. He finally stammered, "Look, 'Nira, this isn't what it looks like—"_

"_Isn't it?" Darla's voice turned harsh. "You're just here moving horses in the middle of the night for no reason?" She took a step back. The scrawny man dropped the rope of the horse he was leading and walked after her. She turned and tried to run, but he caught up with her before she'd made it a dozen steps and dragged her back. _

"_Well, what do we do with you?" he said._

"_Let her go, Sid; we can tie her up and make our getaway," said Bernardo._

"_This pretty thing? Not a chance," said Sid. His hands were around her waist, but they were quickly wandering to other places. Darla felt a surge of pure repulsion. She elbowed him hard in the gut; he grunted, but didn't let go. _

"_Oh, you wanna play rough, huh?" he said, and punched her square in the face. Darla flew back and slammed into the stalls; stars were everywhere in her vision. She had no time to recover before Sid grabbed her again. _

_She kicked and fought out of sheer desperation, but she didn't have the strength of a jockey yet, and she'd never had to defend herself against anyone. Sid took advantage, punching her again, and again, until she was almost unconscious. She felt his weight on top of her and his hand around her throat. She saw a flash of silver; he'd pulled a knife from somewhere. He laid the blade across her cheek and said, "Be quiet, and maybe I won't mark you up with this when I'm through with you."_

_She knew what he was going to do, but she couldn't breathe. The black spots in her vision were getting bigger as her oxygen ran out. She prayed she would pass out before he finished tearing at her clothes, when suddenly the weight was gone. _

_She gasped for breath. The roaring in her ears couldn't quite drown out the shouts near her. "Hold him there! And you, go get Abuelito!" she heard in Spanish. Someone knelt next to her. "'Nira?" he said._

_Both of her eyes were swollen from the blows Sid had landed on her; she could barely open them. She saw nut-brown skin, raven-black hair, and dark hazel eyes._

"_Jonas," she croaked._

Darla suddenly sat up, shuddering and brushing her arms off as if she had bugs on them. She wrapped her arms around her knees again. Bo quickly sat up and wrapped his arms tightly around her again. He felt sickened by Darla's story. He really wished he'd gotten in a few more licks on Sid before Rosco had dragged him away. A few punches weren't even close to what that bastard deserved.

Darla squirmed a little. "Ow," she said. "I need to breathe."

Bo quickly loosened his grip. "Sorry," he said. "I just…" He cupped her swollen cheek in his hand and tilted her face up to look at him. "Jonas found you?"

Darla nodded. "He saw the lights on in the barn and came looking. He shouted for help, and the barn hands in the dormitory heard him and came running."

She rested her head in the hollow of his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. His arms tightened around her again; he kissed her hair and whispered, "I am so sorry."

She sighed deeply. "That was the closest I've ever gotten to _that_ first time."

"What?" Bo started at that. _Where did that come from?_ He'd be lying if he said he'd never thought of knowing her in the Biblical sense, but that was the last thing on his mind right now.

Darla couldn't see his face, but she knew she'd surprised him. "I've tried so hard to forget that night, but when I saw Sid in Miami, it just…it brought everything back. That's why I froze up so much with you. I wanted to get close to you, Bo, but every time I felt you make a move, I was back in that barn again, with Sid's hands all over me. I couldn't shake that feeling, until tonight. And then—"

Bo understood; she'd finally taken the chance, and then Sid had gotten his hands on her again. _That bastard!_ He had half a mind to jump in the General Lee, go to the jail, and beat Sid and Bernardo both into a bloody pulp. Sid, for attacking her like that, and Bernardo for being willing to allow someone to rape his own niece.

Holding her, Bo felt a sudden surge of feeling. His arms pulled her closer still; he felt an overwhelming urge to protect her. "He is not gonna hurt you again," he said fervently. He looked down and took her face in his hands. "You hear me? I don't care what it takes; he is _never_ gonna hurt you again, ever. I won't let him."

Darla's gold-flecked eyes looked into Bo's dark blue ones. "I believe you," she whispered. She reached up and kissed him. Bo was a little surprised, but kissed her back, ever so gently. It was even sweeter than their kisses on the rotunda. He felt his body start to respond in ways he knew he shouldn't be thinking about tonight. He drew in a shuddering breath.

"What?" Darla murmured.

Bo sighed. "You have no idea how you make me feel, do you?" he whispered.

"I'm beginning to get an idea," she said. She started to say something else, but she was suddenly overtaken by a yawn.

Bo chuckled. "C'mere," he said. He lay back down and opened his arms. Darla lay down and rested her head on his shoulder. He turned his head a little and breathed in the scent of her hair; it smelled faintly of coconut and jasmine. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to have Darla resting in his arms like this. He knew he'd get an earful from Uncle Jesse in the morning about spending the night in the barn with Darla, but he wasn't going to worry about it.

Darla closed her eyes and felt his arms wrap around her again. They felt warm, and strong. She sighed and let the feeling of his embrace shut out the world. Sleep was starting to come over her in waves. A small part of her mind said they really should go back inside, that she shouldn't allow herself to feel what she was feeling, lying in Bo's arms, but she was too tired to pay it any mind. At least for tonight, she'd let herself feel safe.

* * *

Luke awoke the next morning with a start, to the sound of a loud thud. He looked and saw the bedroom door moving. He thought Bo had banged it, but that wasn't Bo muttering to himself; it was Uncle Jesse. Luke looked across the room and saw that Bo's bed hadn't been slept in.

_Oh, great,_ he thought. No wonder Uncle Jesse was mad so early in the morning. He'd probably stayed up half the night waiting for Bo and Darla to come back in, and when they didn't…Luke had a feeling this would happen.

And yet—did it, really? Luke's heart had gone out to Darla, hearing her cry like that. She was in no shape for romance last night, and as much as Bo cared for her, Luke knew he wouldn't push things in that direction. No, _that_ hadn't happened, he was sure of it. Of course, they'd have to convince Uncle Jesse of that.

He dressed and headed out to the kitchen. Jesse was sitting at the table, drinking his coffee very slowly and deliberately, which told Luke he was busy simmering. Daisy was busy at the stove; she locked eyes with her cousin as he came in. Luke saw the question in her eyes, and he tilted his head, gesturing toward the barn. Daisy's eyes widened; Luke quickly shook his head. They'd grown up talking like that, to get around saying too much with grown-ups listening.

Luke was pouring himself coffee when he heard voices outside the back door. "Daisy, you got enough eggs for breakfast this mornin'?" he asked.

"I think s—" Daisy began, then caught Luke's look. "W-well, if everybody wants eggs this mornin', we could use a few more," she said.

Luke nodded and headed out the back door. Bo and Darla were talking by the oak tree. "—worryin' about it, okay?" Bo was saying. "Luke and Daisy ain't gonna say anything, and Uncle Jesse's gonna be mad at me, not you."

"Yeah, and he is mad," said Luke, joining them. "Darla, why don't you go around and use the front door to get to the bathroom; no one else has been in the shower yet, there's plenty of hot water."

Darla's eyes were red, and there was a black and blue mark across her cheek, but she managed a smile. He was giving her an out, and she was grateful. She looked back at Bo; he gently kissed her forehead. "Go on," he said softly. "I'll see you at the breakfast table."

"Save me a seat," she said, and walked off.

Luke looked at his cousin. There were shadows under his eyes; he hadn't slept much.

"How bad is it?" Bo asked in resignation.

Luke sighed. "He's not happy with you," he said.

"What was I supposed to do, Luke?" said Bo, his voice rising. "You heard her, I couldn't just leave her—"

"Hey, hey, I'm not judgin' here," said Luke, raising his hands in surrender. "Let's just hope you can get a word in edgewise."

Bo sighed. "Let's get this over with, I don't want Darla to hear anything; she's upset enough."

They went inside. Daisy had wisely made herself scarce. Bo looked apprehensively at his uncle. He and Luke had been adults for years, but the look Jesse was giving him made him feel like he was fourteen again. "Uncle Jesse, I know what you're gonna say—" he began.

"Oh, you know what I'm gonna say?" said Jesse. "You knew last night what I was gonna say, _and yet_ _you stayed out there with her!"_

"What would you have me do, Uncle Jesse?" Bo snapped, his temper flaring. "If we hadn't gotten to Darla last night when we did, Sid wouldn't be sittin' in jail charged with assault; he'd be in there for rape! You have no idea what that did to her! What _he_ did to her! She wouldn't come inside, and I was _not_ gonna leave her alone like that!"

"All right, all right," said Luke, trying to settle things down. "Look, Uncle Jesse, we know you don't think it was right, but Darla needed Bo last night. The way I see it, Darla needed her family last night, and right now, we're the closest thing she's got."

Bo looked over at Luke at those words; that was stretching things a bit, but if Luke was in his corner, he wasn't going to argue.

Jesse huffed a sigh and glared at Bo. "Don't think for one second that yer gonna get outta doin' chores this mornin', just 'cause you didn't get any sleep last night!" he said.

Bo smiled in relief. "No sir, I wouldn't dream of it," he said. They sat silently for a while, sipping coffee, until Daisy and Darla came back to the kitchen. Darla was back in her faded jeans and work boots, and her hair, wet from the shower, was in two long French braids down her back.

"Mornin', Bo!" Daisy said brightly, trying to lighten the mood. "Darla hon, what would you like for breakfast?"

"Coffee, first," she said, going for the pot. "And—do we have strawberries?"

"I think so," said Daisy.

"And, we can always run down the road to the wild strawberry patches if you need more," said Luke.

"Then, if you don't mind me in the kitchen, Daisy," said Darla, "I think it's time for a childhood favorite."

Darla set Bo and Luke to slicing strawberries, and Daisy to making her pancake batter, while she melted a big dollop of peanut butter in a small pan. She whisked it into Daisy's batter, and soon it smelled like peanut butter cookies in the kitchen.

"Mmm-mmm, what are we havin'?" asked Bo.

"Peanut butter and jelly pancakes," said Darla. "It was one of my favorites as a kid. Whenever I was having a rough time, our housekeeper Mama Rosa would always make them for me."

Bo came up behind her and put his arms around her waist as she stood at the stove. He didn't say anything, just kissed her hair. They all talked and laughed through breakfast, but Bo was still watching Darla. She seemed relaxed, and her pretty smile that he found so captivating was still there, but her eyes still looked haunted.

* * *

After breakfast, Daisy had Darla helping out around the house, while the boys headed back out to the barn. They were mucking out stalls, when Luke noticed Bo was practically stabbing at the hay and straw with his pitchfork. "What's on your mind, cousin?" he said.

Bo stopped for a minute, staring off into space. "I should have killed him," he said. "I almost wish I had."

"What?" Luke had never heard Bo say anything like that.

"I'm talkin' about Sid!" said Bo. "All they're gonna do is send him to jail for what he did! That's too good for him! I shoulda—"

"You listen to me," said Luke, and got right up in Bo's face. "Don't you talk like that, _ever,_ you hear me?" Luke was quiet, but his voice was deadly. "I don't care how mad you think you are over what happened; you have _no_ idea what you're saying. Don't ever let me hear you say somethin' like that again, understand?"

Bo looked at him in surprise. This was Sergeant Duke talking, and Bo didn't hear much from him anymore. Luke backed off a bit. "Look," he said, "Sid and Bernardo are done for. They're gettin' booked on felony assault charges, and they'll be taken to the Federal prison in Atlanta. There'll be no chance for them to break out of there. And for the amount of time they're goin' away for, Harold King's gonna have to cut his losses. Darla's safe now. She can get her life back. She can go home."

Bo felt like Luke had just thrown ice water on him. _She can go home._ He hadn't let himself think about that. But Luke was right—if no one was on her tail, she could go back to Kentucky. The thought made his insides hurt; what would he do if she left?

They heard footsteps, and Darla walked into the barn. Luke quickly turned back to Bo and said, "And if you'd tightened those hoses down all the way like I'd told you to, we wouldn't have had to shell out more money to put oil in the General."

"Huh?" said Bo. A split second later, he got it. "Oh, right," he said. They both looked over at Darla. She shot them both a look through narrowed eyes; she wasn't fooled. She went to Treasure and started to lead the stallion out of his stall. As Bo watched, Treasure tried to yank the lead rope from Darla's hands. Bo frowned; he'd never seen Treasure be anything but obedient to Darla before.

Darla tried to talk to him, but Treasure suddenly snorted and reared with a loud whinny. Darla yelped as the stallion's foreleg clipped her in the arm. Bo and Luke both ran; Bo quickly grabbed Treasure's rope while Luke pulled her out of the way of the stallion's hooves.

"Whoa, boy! Easy! What's gotten into you, huh?" said Bo, trying to settle him. Treasure snorted again and tried to jerk his head back, but Bo was too strong for him. "Are you all right?" he said, looking anxiously at Darla.

"Rrrrrrgggghhh…yeah," she said through clenched teeth. Luke had an arm around her; she was massaging her arm.

"We should get the Doc to look at this," said Luke, looking at it.

"No, it's fine," said Darla heavily. "He caught me with his knee, not his hoof; it's just going to bruise. I'll put some ice on it later if it swells."

"Darla, are you—"

"I'm _fine_," she said firmly. "I've had worse, believe me." She took Treasure's rope from Bo and yanked on it. "Now knock it off, you nitwit," she growled, and led Treasure out to the pasture.

Bo looked over at Luke, who shrugged and grinned after her. "She's tough, Bo. You gotta give her that," he said.

Bo followed her out and leaned against the pasture fence as Darla turned Treasure loose. "What do you suppose was the matter with him?" he asked.

"Me," said Darla. "He knows I'm upset, he can smell it, and he doesn't like it. There really is a scent of fear, you know." She rubbed her arm again.

"Can I see that, please?" said Bo. Darla would have refused, but his tone was almost pleading. She sighed and held her arm out. Bo pushed her sleeve up and turned her arm over in his hands. Darla was touched by how gentle he was being. He ran his fingers over the red mark on her arm; he could feel the tissue starting to swell. "You really oughta let me put some ice on this," he murmured.

"I've had worse, Bo," Darla said again, a little more harshly than she intended.

"Would ya just let me help you, please?" said Bo. He sounded almost anguished.

Darla's expression softened; she raised her hand and brushed Bo's cheek. "You did," she said softly.

Bo smiled a little. He wrapped his arms around her as she rested her head on his chest. "It killed me to see you like that," he said.

"Me too," said Darla, looking up at him. "But, you were there. I could have faced last night alone, but I didn't have to. I had you."

Bo felt a rush of emotion. He bent his head to kiss her—

"Darla! Darla, get in here!" Luke yelled.


	13. New Life, New Love

"What is it?" said Darla.

Luke was in Netty's stall. The mare's head was down, and her sides were heaving. Darla quickly felt along her rounded sides. "She's laboring," she said.

"You want Uncle Jesse?" asked Luke.

"Please," said Darla. Luke took off for the house while Darla grabbed her duffel bag from a nail outside Netty's stall. She grabbed a stethoscope out of it and listened to the foal, and frowned. Netty suddenly groaned; her front legs buckled, and she went down on her side.

"Is she all right?" asked Bo.

"I don't know," said Darla tensely, and ran her hands over Netty's side as the mare had another contraction. "She's more advanced in her labor than I thought; I can't believe I didn't notice this morning. She's more stressed than she should be." She yanked her shirt over her head.

"What the heck are you doin'?" said Bo, as Luke and Daisy came back with Jesse.

Darla didn't answer; she grabbed what looked like a long rubber glove that came all the way to her shoulder. "Hold her head," she said. Jesse put his hands on Netty's neck to keep the mare's head down.

Darla inserted her hand and felt for the foal's legs. "Oh, no," she said.

"What is it?" asked Luke.

Darla pushed in further. "There's only one leg," she said. "The other leg is back. The foal's jammed in there; Netty can't push against it." She reached in further.

"Can ya get it?" asked Jesse.

Darla dug her feet into the straw and pushed harder. "I don't think so," she said. She groaned as Netty squeezed her arm in another contraction, then she pushed in again. Her face turned red with the effort. "I can't," she gasped. "I'm too small, I can barely reach the shoulder, and the foal's leg is too long. I can't get it." She looked at Bo and said, "I need you."

"_What?"_ said Bo. "Oh, you can't be serious! I've never been a midwife to anything before!"

"You're the only one with long enough arms, Bo! I can't do this myself, I need your help!" Darla yelled.

_I can't believe I'm doin' this_, Bo thought, stripping his shirt off. "What do I do?"

Darla pulled another glove and a thin cotton rope from the duffel. "Put this on," she said, tossing the glove at him. She tied the rope into a slipknot and slipped it over Bo's gloved fingers and tightened it. "I'll walk you through it," she said.

Bo grimaced, then lay down and inserted his hand and felt the foal's leg, then its nose. "Now what?"

"The birth sac is broken; feel inside it for the shoulder, then go down the other leg. Get your hand on the hoof," she said.

Bo pushed himself forward as far as he could, and felt the tiny hoof under his fingers. "Okay, I got it!" he said.

"Now, spread your fingers to loosen that slipknot; you need to slip that knot over the hoof and get it over the foal's knee."

Bo felt the loop slip over the foal's hoof; he pulled it taut right as Netty had another contraction. "Ow!" he yelled, and felt the foal move toward him. "I think he really wants out!"

"Keep your fingers over the hoof. Luke, come here," said Darla. "Keep your hands here," she said, and placed Luke's hands on Netty's belly. "Tell me when those muscles relax."

Luke waited a few seconds, then nodded and said, "She's done."

"Find the foal's knee joint, Bo," said Darla. "Now, I'm going to pull on the rope; you pull _gently_ on the leg with me," said Darla. Bo felt the rope tighten; the foal's leg started to move forward, and he moved his hand with it. Darla kept tension on the rope, easing the foal's leg into position.

"Now grab the hoof," she said, and pulled again. Bo felt the rest of the leg come forward alongside the foal's head. "All right, we got it!" he said.

"Good, 'cause she's fixin' to push again!" said Luke.

Darla knelt next to Bo as Netty gave another heave. They saw two hooves appear. "Let's see if we can't help a bit," said Darla. They each took a hoof as Netty heaved again. The foal's nose appeared, then the ears and neck. Bo and Darla pulled as Netty pushed, and soon they were cradling the foal's head and chest.

"C'mon, one more, girl," said Jesse, patting Netty's neck.

Netty gave one more heave, and the foal slid out in a glistening heap. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Darla pulled the birth sac away and lifted the foal's hind leg. It was a colt; another firstborn son. Darla smiled at Bo with tears in her eyes.

Netty was already getting to her feet. She sniffed at her new foal, and nickered softly in his ear. The colt raised his head at the sound. Netty started licking him dry. All of them watched, smiling, as the colt tried to get his legs under him to stand. After four or five tries, he got on his feet, then promptly fell over in a tangle of legs. He gave a look of outraged astonishment and tried again. After a few more attempts, he managed to stay on his feet, although it took several more minutes before he could move more than a step without tumbling into his dam or a wall.

They all sat back laughing. Darla put her arms around Bo and hugged him. Bo didn't care that they were both shirtless and dirty; he hugged her back. Somehow, watching a new life start took everything else away.

* * *

They spent several hours with Netty and her new son. Jesse brought Netty a bran mash, while the others laughed at the foal's efforts to walk. After several false starts, he finally managed to get to his mother to nurse, then flopped back down to the straw to sleep.

That night, everyone else turned in to sleep, but Bo couldn't settle himself. He'd seen a few calves and kids born, but never a foal before. Knowing what it meant to Darla to see her family's bloodline continue made it all the more special to him. He tossed and turned, thinking about Darla's efforts during the delivery, in spite of everything she'd been through the day before. He had to admit, with a reluctant smile to himself, that seeing her yank her shirt off had made his stomach flip, despite everything going on at the time.

He lay back and stared at the ceiling. It was no good; he swung his legs over the bed and sat up. Luke was already asleep, snoring softly, but Bo was wide awake. He got up and noticed a light outside the window. The lights were on in the barn; had Darla gone back out there?

He threw a t-shirt on over his pajama bottoms and headed outside. Treasure looked over the door of his stall as he walked in the barn. Bo patted his neck and looked in Netty's stall. Netty was standing over her foal, who lay asleep sprawled in the straw. His fuzzy coat had finally dried; he was a dark brown like his sire, but with one white hoof and a white star on his forehead, and a smattering of white spots across his flanks and rump.

Bo expected to find Darla, but she wasn't there. "Darla?" he called softly.

"Up here," he heard coming from the loft.

Worried, Bo climbed the ladder again. He walked over by the barn window where he'd found Darla the night before. She was sitting with her legs crossed, leaning against the window frame, looking out over the yard. She was holding the bottle he'd seen her grab from her trailer, but it looked emptier than he remembered.

That was a better position to find her in, compared with the previous night, but he was still worried. "You all right?" he said, sitting down next to her.

She shrugged and sighed. She gestured with the bottle in her hands. "The arrival of a firstborn is always a cause for celebration at Treasure Green," she said. "The entire family would get together and toast the new life." Bo could see tears threatening in her eyes. "But I'm not at Treasure Green," she said. "And…" She couldn't finish, but Bo understood. Even if she had been at Treasure Green, her family wouldn't be.

He put an arm around her; she leaned her head against his shoulder. They sat like that for a long time, while she tried to keep her composure. "It's not fair, Bo," she said.

Bo put his other arm around her. "I know it ain't," he said. "I know how you feel. Luke an' Daisy do too."

Darla raised her head and looked at him quizzically. "Well, you didn't think we just came to live with Uncle Jesse by coincidence, did you?" said Bo.

Darla stared at him. "I guess I never really thought about it," she said. She felt guilty. "What…what happened?"

Bo sighed. "All our moms and dads decided to take a trip to Daytona for the races," he said. "Luke's daddy an' mine were brothers; Daisy's mama was their little sister. A semi driver fell asleep at the wheel, an' ran their car off the highway."

"I didn't know that," she said softly. "Do you…remember them?"

"Luke remembers his folks, especially his mama," said Bo. "Daisy remembers her mama a little bit, but…I was just a baby when I came here. I don't remember my folks at all."

Darla nodded slowly. "I'm sorry you didn't know them," she said. Her head dropped against his shoulder. "Some might ask which is worse; not knowing your parents at all, or having them taken from you when you do know them. But the truth is, I don't think it matters."

She finally raised her head and took another drink. "I'm not usually the type to drown my sorrows, but tonight, it seems like a fine idea." Her speech wasn't slurred, but it was definitely slower than usual.

Bo kissed her forehead and whispered, "I'll be right back." He went back down the ladder and into one of the spare stalls where Jesse kept his old equipment and supplies from his moonshining days. He came back with a mason jar and sat down again. "Never turn down a reason to celebrate, I always say," he said, and held it out. "I can at least have a drink with you."

She gave him a crooked grin that made his heart flip, and poured some of the amber liquid into his jar. "You think you can keep up?" she said.

"Oh, please," he said, grinning back at her. They toasted and drank; Bo immediately regretted his words. Whiskey had a slow burn, but this felt like he was drinking liquid fire. He coughed and felt his eyes tear, and heard Darla chuckle at him.

"What the heck is this?" he wheezed.

"Well, for all intents and purposes, I'd say it's rum," said Darla. "At least, it started out as water, yeast, molasses and sugar cane." She giggled.

Bo stared at her. "You moonshined this?"

"What, you think Hazzard is the only place on Earth that knows how to brew shine?" she said. "You forget, Bo, I'm from Kentucky; we _invented_ moonshine!" She giggled again and gestured with the bottle. "I didn't moonshine this, no. But several of the local bars had good local stuff under the counter, if you know what I mean."

Bo certainly did; Jesse's brew was probably still sitting under the counters of several bars throughout the South. He took another swig; it still burned enough going down to make his eyes water, but at least he didn't cough this time. Darla leaned against him; he put an arm around her again, wincing a little as his stitches pulled.

"Tell me another of your stories," she said.

"What, another first tell?" asked Bo.

"Nope; a best tell," she said. "Tell me the best—how do you say it? 'Shuck and jive'? What's the best one you've ever pulled on Rosco?"

Bo threw his head back and laughed. "Aw, there have been so many!" he said. He thought for a minute. Then a smile spread across his face. "One time," he said, "Me an' Luke went skinny-dippin' in Hazzard Pond, and some thieves stole the General Lee. Rosco an' Enos chased 'em, and they wound up crashing the General into Hazzard Lake. They got away, but Rosco and Enos thought it was us drivin'. Enos dove in a couple of times lookin' for us, but of course they didn't find anything, so they thought we were dead." Bo sobered a little bit. "I can't imagine what it cost Rosco to have to tell Uncle Jesse we were gone," he said, remembering. "So, since them guys took our clothes, Luke an' me basically had to streak cross-country to get home. Once we got to the farm, we found ourselves lookin' in on our own wake. That was weird, I tell ya." He shook his head at the memory.

"Anyway, it turned out that, since we were 'dead', Boss Hogg decided to blame us for stealin' his antique watch for the insurance money. The only way we could stay outta trouble, was to stay dead. But of course, that wouldn't work, so we decided to turn the tables on Boss and Rosco a little bit." He started laughing at the memory. "We busted the General out of the impound lot. Cooter found us some luminescent paint, and we rigged the General so we could steer it remotely. Then we got it into the county building, and called out for Rosco."

Bo laughed harder; Darla started to join in, despite not knowing the ending. "So, what happened?" she said.

Bo took another drink. The rum was already starting to hit his head. "We started whispering Rosco's name over the CB, an' got him and Enos out to the sheriff's garage. There was the General Lee, glowin' like a ghost, with the hood and the trunk opening whenever we pulled on strings." He laughed even more. "Enos and Rosco both freaked. I remember Enos sayin', 'He's one 'o them spook-talkin' mediums. General Lee's one o' them spook-talkin' mediums!'"

Darla threw her head back and laughed. "And then," said Bo, "I drove the car crouched under the seat with Luke navigatin' for me, and we tore outta there with Rosco and Boss chasin' us!"

"Boss saw it too?" asked Darla.

"Oh, yeah, an' it freaked him out, too!" said Bo. "I remember listenin' on the CB, and Boss said, 'The Duke boys may be dead, but that car ain't, because cars—don't—die!'"

Darla leaned against Bo again and laughed until her eyes teared up. "And Rosco said, 'Batteries die, Boss, why not cars?" said Bo, laughing along with her.

"Oh, please stop! I can't take any more, it's too much!" Darla gasped for breath between laughs.

"Anyway," said Bo, "We found the guys that stole the General, and we made Boss give the insurance money back for the watch, since it had never been stolen. Boss and Rosco laid low for almost a month without givin' us any trouble. An' poor Enos—I think he went to bed for a week over seein' 'The Ghost of the General Lee!'"

Both of them leaned together, laughing. "I can't believe they fell for that," said Darla, giggling helplessly.

"To be honest, neither could we," said Bo. "But it was definitely the best shuck an' jive we ever pulled on them two."

They sat for a while, still laughing at the story between drinks, when Bo suddenly blinked and stared at her.

"What?" asked Darla.

"I just noticed somethin'," he said. "Your hair is down." Every time he'd seen her before, she'd always kept her hair back, either in a ponytail, braids or a bun. Even at church, she'd still worn it pinned away from her face. But now it was completely loose. The braids she'd been wearing that day had left her hair in soft waves that cascaded over her shoulders and down her back. Bo reached out and ran a hand through the long strands.

Darla took another swig from her bottle. "Well, I can tell you one thing, Bo Duke."

"What's that?"

"I'm glad nothing happened to you two," she said. She looked up at him and said, "The world would be a much sadder place without you in it, Bo."

Bo looked down at her and smiled. "It'd be a much sadder place without you in it, too," he said. He trailed his fingertips gently down her cheek. "I can't imagine my world without you in it, anymore," he whispered.

The moonlight made her face look even paler as they looked at each other. He leaned over and kissed her. He cupped her cheek in his hand as his lips caressed hers. He sighed and moved closer, still kissing her. He tried to be gentle; he didn't want to push things with her after last night. So it took him by surprise when Darla suddenly moved, twisted, and straddled his lap.

Bo felt sparks fly as her arms slid around him. Her mouth tasted like smoke and caramel from the rum, and his arms tightened reflexively as he felt her tongue brush against his lips. Heat coursed through him; a moan escaped him as he kissed her deeper. They kissed urgently, passionately, until she gasped as his hands slid under her shirt. They broke apart, their lips just barely touching, but not kissing, while they both tried to catch their breath.

"Tell me," Bo whispered. His eyes were almost black in the moonlight, looking into her gold-dusted ones.

"What?"

Bo slid his hands gently over her skin, and felt her shudder. "Tell me what you want," he breathed in her ear. The heat inside him was getting unbearable. He wanted nothing more than to lay her down on the blankets they'd left in the hay the night before, but he really didn't want to push this. He knew now what she'd been through; he would not take anything from her that she wasn't completely willing to give.

Darla looked at him. She felt like she was being pulled in a dozen different directions. Part of her was saying she was entering dangerous territory. The rest of her felt the heat of Bo's hands touching her, felt the touch of his lips caressing her skin, and really didn't give a damn about logical thought.

"I've never done this," she whispered.

"I know," said Bo. Knowing that made him nervous. "I promise, I won't hurt you. But I need to hear you say it; do you want this?"

He felt her lips brush against his again. She said one word; it was barely a whisper, but it echoed through him.

"Yes..."

* * *

The pale moonlight slid across the loft floor and up the wall as the moon dipped lower in the sky. Bo lay half-asleep on one of the barn blankets in the hay; Darla was draped across him, with her head resting on his chest. Another blanket was thrown carelessly over them. He shifted a little, and felt the warmth of Darla's skin pressed against him. He trailed his fingertips down the middle of her back; she stirred and tightened her arms around him.

He'd tried so hard to be gentle with her. He didn't think he'd held back so much in his life. Everything in him wanted to hurry, but he forced himself to take things slowly. With everything Sid had put her through, the last thing he wanted to do was scare her, or worse, hurt her. Every move he made, every kiss, every touch, he'd watched to gauge her reaction. Of course, he admitted silently with a grin, eventually he'd made a few moves just to see what reaction he'd get.

He'd been so focused on her, he didn't realize how much things were building for him. It wasn't until he nudged her over the edge, when he felt her back arch and heard her cry out, that he'd lost his control. After that, she'd begged him to let go, and everything became a blur of hurried whispers between kisses, moans and sighs that rose in pitch and turned into something sweet and intense and explosive for both of them. It had taken a while to get his breath back.

Bo breathed a deep sigh, remembering. Darla stirred again, and he pulled her a little closer. "You okay?" he murmured.

"Mmm-hmm," she said in a sleepy sigh, and turned her head to face him. Her eyes looked distant.

"Are you sure?" Bo was instantly concerned. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" God, he'd never forgive himself if he did. He knew some pain was unavoidable, and he felt bad enough about that. If he'd done anything else-

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine," she said. In truth, she wasn't exactly sure how she felt. On one hand, she felt exhausted, like she'd been riding all day without a break. On the other, she felt completely awake and alert. Bo's touch had left trails of fire across her skin. Every time she thought he'd pushed her to her limit, he'd push her further, until she felt like she'd exploded into flashes of light. The intensity of it had shocked her. She'd felt him trembling, trying to hold himself back as she crested, until she whispered to him to let go. And he had, and the intensity of the heat between them rose to an almost fevered pitch, until the cries of his climax blended with hers. The one quick flash of pain she'd felt was quickly forgotten, and she wasn't about to tell him about it.

She propped herself up on one elbow and looked at him uncertainly. "I just—I don't…"

Bo raised his hand and gently stroked her cheek again. "You just don't know how to act right now, right?"

Darla lowered her eyes. "I guess."

Bo smiled in relief, and pulled her lips down to his for a kiss. She rested her head in the hollow of his shoulder. Bo sighed again, in total bliss. Darla always seemed so sure of herself; this sweet confusion was adorable, and he loved her for it.

He loved her. _Oh, Lord, did I just think that?_ He almost gasped at the thought. Did he, really? He wondered sometimes, if he would ever know real love if it came to him. He'd chased a lot of girls over the years. He'd really liked a lot of them. He thought he loved a few of them. Diane Benson sprang to mind. Of course, some of that had been fueled by his pride, but he thought she was someone incredibly special. Was this different?

He thought back on everything that had passed since Darla came to Hazzard. He was so happy when they were together; he'd been terrified when Sid and Bernardo had taken her, and enraged when Sid attacked her. That morning, he'd felt a little sick when Luke said she could go back to Kentucky. He really couldn't imagine a day without her in it.

And tonight...tonight he'd felt different. He hadn't felt this kind of all-consuming desire since he was in high school. But it wasn't just about getting with her; he hadn't just wanted _that._ His desire was for _her_. He couldn't remember feeling like that before. He wouldn't have cared if she'd stopped him; all he wanted was to be with her. He would have given whatever she asked of him, and he didn't regret giving her everything.

_I do,_ he thought. _I do love her._ Why hadn't he realized it before? He couldn't help but smile at the thought; he would have let out a yell if he could have. He was really in love. He turned a little to say it to her, but her breathing was deep and even; she'd fallen asleep. He kissed her hair and let his arms rest around her. _Tomorrow, _he thought to himself. _I'll tell her tomorrow._


	14. Loyalties Lie

_Flop_. Bo felt fabric hit his face. He started and yanked it away. It was one of his shirts and jeans. He looked up and saw Luke standing over him.

"Uncle Jesse ain't up yet," he said. "You'd better be up and dressed before he is. I can't cover for you twice."

Bo looked around, but Darla was gone. He felt a stab of panic. "Where is she?" he said. He started to get up; then he remembered he wasn't exactly decent.

Luke frowned; he figured Bo would know. "She came in earlier, made a phone call, and asked Daisy if she could borrow Dixie to go into town," he said.

"What?" _Why would she want to go into town by herself?_ Bo noticed the frown on his cousin's face. "Don't look at me like that, Luke; you ain't Uncle Jesse," he said defensively.

"Good thing, too, 'cause Uncle Jesse would probably be standin' over you with a belt or a shotgun right now," said Luke. He was trying to be serious, but the corners of his mouth were twitching. He dropped Bo's boots next to him and left. Bo quickly dressed and climbed down the ladder, and found Luke leaning against Netty's stall. Her colt was standing close by her side, looking at them with curious eyes.

"He's gonna be a handsome thing," said Bo, smiling at the colt. Luke nodded and looked at Bo. He was trying not to lecture his baby cousin, but the reproach was still there on his face, and Bo saw it.

"What?" said Bo; he knew that look. He could feel his temper rising, and had to bite it back. "Look, Luke, we're not teenagers any more, all right?" he said, trying to stay calm. "It's my business," he finished quietly.

"Bo, I just...I don't want to see you get hurt, okay?" Luke said. He wanted Bo to be happy, but his gut was telling him Darla wasn't going to stay in Hazzard, and Bo was going to be devastated when she left. But telling Bo that would only lead to an argument. Luke had always tried to keep Bo safe from both harm and heartbreak, but it wasn't going to work this time. Nothing was going to bring Bo off the cloud he was on.

Bo looked down and nodded. "I know," he said. "You've always tried to protect me, haven't ya?"

Luke smirked and nodded. "Well, you do seem to need it," he said, and clapped Bo's shoulder. "Let's get in for breakfast; chores can wait," he said.

As they walked out, Luke said, "Just tell me you were smart about it."

Bo grinned and nodded. "You taught me well, cuz," he said.

* * *

"Thank you again for seeing me so early, Mr. Butler," said Darla.

"My pleasure, Miss Verdes," said Gary Butler.

"You're sure this will take care of everything?" she asked.

"It's as airtight as I can make it," said Gary. "I'll get it notarized while I'm in Atlanta today, and mail it to your lawyers in Kentucky. It'll be official before the day is over."

Darla nodded, relieved. She couldn't believe she hadn't thought to do this before. "Well, that should satisfy the powers that be, at least for a little while," she said with a sigh.

"Well, I wish I could help you with the rest, but angry shareholders aren't really my area of expertise," said Gary.

Darla nodded. "And you're sure you don't mind taking my registration papers with you?" she asked.

"Not at all; I have to be in Atlanta today anyway, it's no problem to drop this off with the racing commission," he said. "Should I place a bet on your horse to win the Atlanta Stakes while I'm there?"

Darla smiled. "You'll probably be richer if you do!" she said.

Gary laughed. "Maybe the Dukes should put some money on you, too," he said, "And they could get out from under Boss Hogg's mortgage thumb!"

Darla laughed a little too. "The Dukes really are good people, aren't they?" she said.

"They're some of the very best people I know," said Gary.

Darla nodded. She was lost in thought for a minute. "Mr. Butler, if the Dukes should ever need legal help, I want you to give it, without hesitation," she said softly. She gestured to the papers in the lawyer's hands. "My attorneys in Kentucky will always know where to find me. Whatever legal bills the Dukes might have, you send them to me. I'll take care of it."

Gary raised his eyebrows. "The Dukes aren't much for taking charity," he said.

"I'm sure you'll find some way to convince them," Darla smiled. "You're a lawyer; it's in your job description to convince people of crazy things."

Gary chuckled at that. "My point is," Darla continued, "the Dukes are good people, and I don't want to see anyone swindle them out of anything, just because they can't afford legal help."

Gary nodded, and they shook hands. He watched her walk down the street as she left. _She may think she's leaving,_ he thought, _but I'd wager my law degree that she'll be back._ _Hazzard just does that to people._

* * *

Sid and Bernardo shuffled slowly up the stairs from the Hazzard Jail, hampered by the shackles they wore on their hands and feet. Two Federal marshals followed their every move. They escorted them to the armored carrier waiting outside the courthouse. Rosco, Enos and Cletus watched from the sidewalk as they climbed in the back and the heavy doors were bolted behind them.

"You all right, Sheriff?" asked Enos. Rosco had been uncharacteristically quiet since Sid and Bernardo had escaped, with none of his usual remarks toward the prisoners.

Rosco's scowl deepened as the truck pulled away from the curb. "I'm just glad to see the back end of those two," he growled. Rosco didn't always like the Dukes, but he had no use for a criminal who enjoyed attacking women. And that Bernardo was willing to allow it, and he was Darla's own kin. As far as he was concerned, they were the lowest form of trash imaginable. They headed back inside as the van turned the corner out of sight. They didn't see two black sedans pull out of the alley and follow.

* * *

As she drove back to the farm, Darla tried to stay focused on the road, but her mind was wandering. She hadn't been this happy since before the fire. And, she'd never been happier with a boy before—well, a man, she corrected herself. Who would have thought she'd find love in a little town like Hazzard?

She gasped at the thought. She stalled Dixie as she slammed on the brakes and pulled over. She stared through the windshield for a minute. _Find love._ She felt like Treasure had just kicked her in the gut. She shook her head a little in denial, but she knew it was true. It had been staring her in the face for days, and she hadn't seen it. Well, that wasn't true. Bo was so much fun to be around; she hadn't laughed so much in a very long time. Standing on the rotunda at the dance, staring into Bo's eyes...she'd known then she was falling. And later, lying with him in the barn, she'd felt so safe and secure in his arms, even though she knew she shouldn't.

And last night...she shivered at the thought of his kisses, his touches, and his concern for her. She had always promised herself she would never give herself to anyone unless she was completely in love with him. How else could she explain last night? She couldn't blame it on the rum; she'd been drunker than that before, and still said no.

She knew she shouldn't, knew she _couldn't_, but she did. She loved him. She was in love with Bo. She sat back in the seat, and felt tears spring to her eyes. _What do I do? _She loved him, and she had to leave him. She had no choice; she had to go back to Kentucky. Treasure Green had to stay with the family, and she'd been away too long as it was. She couldn't ask Bo to come with her; she'd heard all the stories about the boys' NASCAR days, and knew they loved Hazzard too much to stay away for long. Where did that leave her? Where did it leave _them_, especially after everything that had happened?

Her hands were shaking as she started the jeep again. She knew Bo would be waiting for her when she got back to the farm, and she had no idea what she was going to say.

* * *

The armored transport wagon bounced along the dirt roads. The marshals stared blankly out the window, looking for the highway that would take them to Atlanta. The driver checked his rear-view mirror; he saw two black sedans coming up quickly behind them. They came closer; the one in the front suddenly bumped them from behind.

"What the—" The driver struggled to stay in control of the wagon as the car bumped them again, harder.

"What's goin' on?" said the passenger. They were so occupied with the cars behind them, they never thought to look ahead of them. A lone man stood in the middle of the road, pointing a rifle at them. Two shots, two holes in the windshield, and the marshals slumped over in their seats. The wagon weaved and swerved; it slid off the road and rolled over.

The two sedans screeched to a stop; three men jumped out as the man with the rifle ran to join them. They forced the doors open on the wagon. Sid and Bernardo were still inside, bruised and bloody from the rollover, but still conscious. They grabbed them and dragged them to the other waiting sedan. The back door opened; they threw them in, and the door slammed. The three men jumped back into the other car; the rifleman pointed his weapon at the truck's gas tank. He fired, and the truck erupted into a ball of flames.

* * *

Darla parked Dixie in front of the farmhouse. She sat quietly for a minute after she killed the engine and rested her head on the steering wheel.

"Somethin' on yer mind this mornin', Darla?" said a gruff voice.

Darla recognized Jesse's voice, but didn't turn. "A lot of somethings are on my mind this morning, Jesse," she said in a shaky voice. "And a lot of someones, too."

Jesse leaned against the jeep. He didn't say anything, just waited.

Darla flopped back in the seat and sighed. "Jesse, did you ever feel like doing the right thing…was the worst thing in the world to do?"

Jesse smiled a little. "Every time I had to punish my boys for somethin'," he said. "Sometimes—what we do in the name of family, we know it to be right, but…that don't always make it _feel_ right. It don't always make it easy, either."

Darla's eyes welled up with tears at that. Jesse put a fatherly arm around her, like he had so many times with Daisy. "You have to leave, don'cha?" he said.

The tears slid down Darla's cheeks as she nodded. "I don't have any choice, Jesse," she choked. "I asked Gary Butler to contact my attorneys in Lexington so they'd know where I was. He heard back from them this morning. They know Sid and Bernardo have been arrested, and they want me back home. So do my shareholders; a bunch of the biggest ones are threatening to sell off if I don't go back. If they make everyone else panic and sell, it could kill us financially. I asked Gary to turn in my registration for the Stakes races when he goes to Atlanta today. I can stay for that, but then I have to go back to Kentucky."

She rested her head on Jesse's shoulder. "All this time," she said, "I've wanted nothing but to go back home. And now I can actually _go_ home, and I don't want to."

They heard a noise behind them and turned. Bo was standing at the corner of the house. His face was torn with anger and anguish. He turned and strode toward the barn.

"Bo!" Darla called. She climbed out of the Jeep and ran after him. "Bo, wait!"

Bo could feel tears pricking at his eyes as he walked. He felt sick to his stomach. He couldn't believe it; how could she do this? He'd been on pins and needles all morning, waiting for Darla to come back so he could tell her how he felt. And then, he'd come around the corner to hear her tell Uncle Jesse she was leaving. Because of lawyers and shareholders? How could she?

"Bo, wait a minute, please!" he heard her call again.

He rounded on her as she caught up to him. "When were you gonna tell me, huh?" he said. His voice was rough with emotion. "Were you even gonna say anything, or was I just gonna wake up one morning and find out you were gone?"

"Bo, please—"

"How can you do this? After last night? After everything? I thought I meant something to you!"

"Bo, you do! I—"

"And now you're just gonna take off? _How can you do this?_" Bo was yelling now. Luke and Daisy came out the back door as Jesse came around the corner.

"Bo, would you stop for just a minute, please?" Darla said tearfully. "I have to go back. It's not just my family that's depending on me; it's the entire Verdes legacy. It could all crumble if I don't go. I—"

"So you're just gonna swoop in and save the day, are ya?" Bo said sarcastically. He was hurt more than words could say, and it was coming out as anger. "You have to head home to make sure your rich family gets richer, is that it?"

Darla's eyes widened. "What did you say?" she said quietly.

"Oh, Lord," Luke murmured as he and Daisy walked up. Bo's mouth was about to get him in serious trouble.

Jesse knew it too. "Now, Bo, don't go sayin' things ya cain't take back," he said nervously.

"I'm askin' her, Uncle Jesse!" yelled Bo. His blue eyes snapped fire as he looked back at her. "You just have to go back to the rich folk, no matter what else or who else is important!"

Darla slapped him. Given the strength in her arms, her blow was no girly tap. They all flinched at the sound. Bo staggered back and put a hand to his face. He blinked and wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Don't you dare," Darla hissed. "Don't you _dare_ stand there and try to lecture me about what's important, Bo Duke! You think I wanted this, any of it? I never did! I never wanted my family to die in that fire. I never wanted to spend a year running for my life. And I never wanted to run Treasure Green!" Her voice grew thicker as she spoke. "But this is my _family_ we're talking about, Bo! And not just my parents and Jonas; I'm talking about two hundred years of Verdes' depending on me! What would _you_ do, for the name of Duke? What would you give up, what would you sacrifice, if you knew it was for your family? You'd do anything, Bo, and so would I!

"I don't want to leave, Bo. But I don't get to consider what makes me happy anymore. That's a luxury that even I can't afford." She turned and headed for the barn.

* * *

Enos was heading down Old Creek Road for speed trap five. He was taking his time, thinking about dancing with Daisy at the Centennial Dance, when he saw black smoke rising into the sky. He headed for the state highway, and the smoke grew thicker. He rounded a corner and saw a blackened truck spewing flames and smoke.

"Possum on a gumbush!" Enos exclaimed. He pulled to a stop and reached for his CB. "This here's Deputy Enos Strate on Highway 21 near the Green River crossroads! I need the fire department out here right now, there's a truck on fire!" He got out and ran over, but the heat was too intense for him to get close. He saw two dark shapes in the front through the shattered and blackened windshield, and his heart sank. Then his eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute," he muttered. The truck looked familiar. He looked at the road. There were fresh tire tracks; someone had just been there. He went around to the back. One of the doors had fallen off, and the back of the truck was open. He felt a stab of panic, and ran back to the front. He could see a decal and symbol on the hood. It was blackened from the soot, but—

"Oh, no!" he exclaimed. He ran back to his patrol car.

* * *

"Bo, how could you?" Daisy exclaimed, and ran after Darla.

Bo put his hands on his knees. Darla's slap had shocked his temper out of him, but he still had a myriad of other emotions running through his head, and his heart. _She can't leave. She just can't._ He felt horrible for what he'd said, angry at her for having to leave, and terrified of having to watch her go. He felt tears pricking at his eyes again.

Luke put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't say it, Luke," said Bo. His voice shook a little.

Luke didn't; he just sighed. He'd hoped against hope that this wouldn't happen. "She's leavin', ain't she?" he said quietly.

Bo couldn't answer; he sounded like he was fighting to catch his breath. He straightened up; Luke could see tears in his eyes. "I gotta go—" he began, and started to move toward the barn, but Luke stopped him.

"You gotta wait a minute," he said. Bo opened his mouth to argue, but Luke held up a hand. "You gotta wait a minute and let her cool off, or she's liable to knock your head clean off your neck."

Bo heaved a sigh and stood with his hands on his hips, his head hanging. Luke put an arm around his shoulders. "C'mon," he said. "Let Daisy talk to her for a minute and get her calmed down." He started steering Bo toward the farmhouse, when they heard Enos's voice coming from Jesse's truck.

"_Bo! Luke! This here's Enos; y'all answer me, please! Daisy, Jesse, somebody, c'mon now!"_

Luke and Bo looked at each other. "Wonder what that's about," said Luke. He reached inside the cab for the CB mic. "This here's Luke, Enos, what's goin' on?"

_"Listen, y'all, I just found the truck them Marshals were haulin' Bernardo and Sid ta Atlanta in! It looks like somebody's busted 'em out! The truck caught fire down near the highway, them marshals are dead, and Bernardo an' Sid are gone!"_

"Oh, no," said Bo.

"_Listen, y'all, I don't know where they went or who took 'em, but I'll start lookin'. Y'all better stash Darla somewhere safe 'til we find 'em!"_

"Thanks, Enos!" said Luke. He looked at Bo. "I hope you can make up with Darla quick, cuz, 'cause we gotta get her outta here," he said quickly.

"Y'all take her up ta still site number three," said Jesse. "There's enough supplies up there to keep ya safe for a while."

Suddenly, they heard a muffled scream from the barn.

Bo's eyes widened in horror. "Darla!" he shouted, and darted for the barn.

"That's Daisy!" said Luke, and took off after him.

They ran into the barn, and stopped short. Daisy was handcuffed to a stall door, with a gag covering her mouth.

"Daisy!" they shouted. Luke pulled the gag out of her mouth. "What happened?"

"They took her!" Daisy gasped, fighting against the cuffs.

"What?"

"There were three guys in masks! They grabbed her!" Daisy pointed out of the barn.

Bo and Luke took off and ran toward the road. They saw two black sedans in the distance. Three men were dragging Darla away, and it was taking all three of them to hold into her.

"Darla!" Bo shouted. He ran faster, but one of them pulled a gun and shot at them. Dirt puffed on the ground as the round hit.

"Bo, look out!" Luke shouted, and pushed him behind a tree. Bo spun around it and kept going. The men pulled a hood over Darla's head and threw her in the back seat of one of the sedans. Dirt and gravel sprayed as they drove away.

"Darla!" Bo shouted again. He would have run on, but Luke pulled him up. They stood there, gasping for breath, as they sped off. "Darla," Bo gasped. "Oh, no. Darla." But she was gone.


	15. Taken

"Let's get to the General!" said Luke. They ran back to the General Lee; Bo jumped in the driver's seat, cranked the motor and floored it out of the yard. They flew down the road; soon they could see thin wisps of dust rising from the road. They rounded a turn and saw the back end of a black sedan turning onto Seminole Road.

Luke grabbed the CB. "Enos, you got your ears on?"

"I'm right here, Luke," said Enos.

"Listen, some guys grabbed Darla outta the barn! We're chasin' 'em down Seminole Road. If you can get to Choctaw Crossing quick you might be able to cut 'em off!"

"I'll try, Luke, but I'm on the other side o' Route 36; I'm farther away from there than y'all are now."

Luke winced at that. "All right, just do what ya can, Enos," he said. "I think we're on our own," he said to Bo.

Bo didn't answer; he pushed his foot down on the accelerator and asked the General for more speed. Soon they could see two black cars, winding up Seminole Road. Suddenly a man leaned out of the rear sedan's back window, pulling a rifle with him. He pointed it at the General; a shot rang out, and steam started pouring from the engine. Another shot, and the General lurched to the left, the front tire blown.

"Dang it!" Bo yelled. He struggled to keep the General under control, but the fountain of steam had him blinded. He swerved off the road, barely missing a ditch before he brought the General to a stop. They pulled themselves through the doors and watched as the cars disappeared up the dusty road.

Luke sighed in frustration as the cars' dust trails faded away. Bo banged his fist on the General's roof and put his head in his hands. He couldn't say anything, and Luke had no words to comfort him.

Suddenly they heard Cooter's voice. "Breaker one, breaker one, this is Crazy C, lookin' for the Dukes on the Hazzard Net, come on!" he said over the CB.

Luke sighed again, looked up the road, then pulled himself back inside the General. "Yeah, Cooter, it's Luke, come back," he said.

Cooter knew from the tone of Luke's voice that something was wrong. "Listen, y'all, I heard ya talkin' to Enos, sayin' somebody done nabbed Darla! What can I do ta help?"

"You can bring your rig up to Seminole Road and pick us an' the General up," said Luke. "We lost 'em."

* * *

Jesse was taking bolt cutters to the handcuffs on Daisy's wrists when Cooter's rig pulled into the yard, towing the General Lee. Bo and Luke had left so quickly, they'd forgotten Daisy was still tied up in the barn.

"Oh, no!" said Daisy, rubbing her wrists. If Cooter was towing the General home, that couldn't be good.

"Oh, Bo, Luke—I'm so sorry!" she said as they got out. She threw her arms around Bo. "We never even saw them! They snuck up on us, and the first thing they did was gag us!" she said in a tearful voice. "They had me handcuffed to the door before I could even think about it, and they dragged Darla off!"

Luke came over and hugged both of them. "It's okay, Daisy, it wasn't your fault," he said.

Bo let go of them and headed for Dixie. Luke knew what Bo was thinking, and ran after him. "Bo, wait," he said, and got in front of his cousin before he could get to the Jeep.

"Move, Luke," said Bo.

Luke shook his head. "Bo, they were on Seminole Road," he said softly, as Daisy and Jesse walked up. They knew what that meant; Seminole Road was the gateway to the Iron Mountain range. "That road splits off a hundred different ways; they could be anywhere."

"And that's why we need Dixie to look for her! Now move, Luke, I mean it!" said Bo.

Jesse saw a fight brewing. "Bo," he said. "Son, look at me."

Bo turned and looked at his uncle. Jesse saw guilt, anguish and fear in his slate-blue eyes. "Uncle Jesse, we gotta go look for her," he said. His voice shook a little. "We can't just give up on her."

"Give up?" said Jesse. "Now, those are words we Dukes don't know the meanin' of." He put his hands on Bo's shoulders. "We'll go lookin', but first we gotta find out who an' what we're up against."

"How're we gonna do that?" said Bo. "We don't even know who took her!"

"I think I do," said Luke. He didn't like the thought at all, but it was the only thing that made any sense. He reached for Dixie's CB. "This here's Luke Duke, callin' Deputy Enos Strate, ya got yer ears on?"

_"I'm here, Luke,"_ said Enos. _"I'm a ways up Seminole Road, but I ain't seein' a thing."_

"I'm not surprised. Listen, come by the farm, would ya?" said Luke.

_"Sure thing, Luke, I'm gone."_

Luke looked at Bo. Jesse said something else to him, very softly; Bo hung his head and started walking slowly toward the house. Luke nodded for Daisy to go after him, and walked back over to Cooter. "How bad's the General?"

"Well, it's nothin' he ain't seen before," said Cooter, lowering the car to the ground. He raised the hood, and a thin geyser of steam rose from the front of the engine. "Well, this looks like good news," he said. "Whoever took a shot at ya either had really good, or really bad, aim. They didn't hit the radiator; they just got the hose here." He looked up. "I should have the right stuff here to fix this, if you don't mind usin' your spare tire for now."

"Thanks, Cooter," said Luke, clapping him on the shoulder.

Cooter watched as Bo sank onto the porch swing. "I'm real sorry 'bout this, Luke," he said. "I know she's somethin' real special to him."

Luke nodded, watching his baby cousin. In truth, Darla had become someone special to all of them. In the few weeks she'd been with them, they'd all come to care deeply for her. She was like another member of the family to the rest of them, but to Bo…

"We gotta get her back," he murmured. "If anything happens to her, it's gonna kill him."

Cooter sighed. "I think you're right about that," he said. Cooter had known Bo since they were teenager and toddler; he'd watched him grow up, discover girls, and fall in and out of love every other week, but his gut told him this time was different. Along with just about everyone else at the Centennial Dance, Cooter had been watching Bo and Darla too. And he'd never seen Bo look at a girl that way before. "I'll be done in two shakes; whatever help y'all need, you got it, okay?" he said.

Luke nodded. "Thanks again, Cooter," he said, and headed for the porch.

* * *

Bo slumped over and put his head in his hands. Everything inside him was screaming to jump in Dixie and head up Seminole Road, and look every place he could think of, and bring Darla back. He couldn't just sit here; he had to _do_ something. He'd wanted more than anything to argue, to shout at them that he loved Darla more than he'd ever dreamed possible, and the thought of anyone with their hands on her terrified him. But he knew Luke and Uncle Jesse were right; there were a hundred places they could be. And, since he didn't know who they were up against, they could easily shoot him if he went looking in the wrong places alone. "They already shot at you; you think they'll hesitate to shoot again?" Uncle Jesse had almost whispered to him. "You think we could live with it if anything happened to you? You think _she_ could live with it?"

He heard the clicks of Daisy's heels on the porch steps, and felt her sit beside him. "I promised her," he whispered. "I promised her, I'd never let him hurt her again." He'd meant Sid when he said it, but now he realized, he'd meant he would never let _anyone_ hurt her. "And I got so angry, and I pushed her away—" He felt a lump rise in his throat; his breath quickened.

Daisy put her arms around him. Bo felt tears in his eyes; he took a shuddering breath. He felt the swing shift as Luke sat on his other side and put an arm around him. "This is all my fault," said Bo in a broken whisper.

"No, Bo honey, it wasn't your fault," said Daisy.

"Daisy's right," said Luke. "Them guys were comin' for Darla no matter what. There wasn't anything any of us could have done."

Tears slid down Bo's face; Luke intertwined his arms with Daisy's; they sat there without talking, and held Bo as the swing moved slowly back and forth. "I can't lose her," Bo whispered through his tears.

"I know, cuz. I know," Luke murmured.

Jesse watched them for a minute. _Lord, we could really use your help about now,_ he thought. _Please, help us find her._

* * *

Darla felt the car lurch over uneven ground. Through the hood they'd forced over her head, she could only see vague patches of light. No one spoke; she had no idea who she was riding with.

She'd had no warning. How could they have gotten the drop on her like that? Even as she asked herself the question, she knew the answer. She'd been ready to spit nails at Bo for his barbed words. She probably would have gone back out in the yard and gone a round or two with him, but Daisy had talked her down. She was still angry, and hurt, but once she wasn't ready to take a swing at him, they'd started for the farmhouse. She'd heard a scuffling noise, and suddenly a gag was stuffed in her mouth. She'd been so surprised, she'd had no time to react. She'd heard Daisy scream as rough hands yanked her off her feet and dragged her out of the barn.

After what felt like an eternity, she felt the motion of the car change. They bumped over a few ruts as they came to a halt. The doors opened; hands grabbed her and dragged her from the seat. She tried to struggle, but the hands yanked her arms behind her back, and bound her wrists together. They pushed her forward; she heard footsteps on wood, then she tripped up steps. She stumbled along until someone turned her and forced her down into a chair. She gasped in pain as the hands wrenched her arms up and over the seat back. Suddenly the hood was yanked off her head.

She gasped again and blinked. She was in a bare room in what looked like a shack or cabin. There was one boarded-over window letting in light. She looked at the man who had presumably put her in this contortionist position. He was dark-skinned, dark-haired, and a complete stranger. Before she got a chance to ask anything, two more men came through the door, holding two others. They tossed them, none too gently, on the floor. One of them was short and scrawny; the other was heavy-set, with auburn hair.

Darla's eyes widened. "Bernardo?"

The other two men walked back out; the dark-skinned man pulled a gun from his belt and pointed it at them. Sid looked uneasy; Bernardo looked petrified.

Darla looked from them, to the gunman. This was making no sense; if Bernardo and Sid were captives like her, then who was holding them all?

As if in answer, she heard footsteps coming toward the tiny room. The two men returned, one on either side of a third gentleman. He was older and extremely well-dressed, but his face bore several scars that hinted at a rough life. He looked first at Bernardo and Sid, who shrank from his gaze. He then turned his gaze to Darla.

"Miss Verdes," he said. His voice was nasal, and held no trace of a Southern accent. "How nice to finally make your acquaintance. I'm Harold King."

* * *

The Dukes turned as they heard a car coming up the road. Bo sat up and tried to get his emotions under wraps as Enos pulled up.

"Hey, y'all," Enos said quietly, getting out. "I'm—I'm real sorry, Bo; I didn't see hide nor hair of anybody."

Bo wiped his eyes. "S'all right Enos. You tried," he said.

"An' we gotta try an' find her now, Enos, an' we're gonna need all the help we can get if they're up in them hills," said Jesse.

"Yessir, Uncle Jesse, I'll do whatever I can," said Enos.

"Problem is, we still don't know who took her, or what they want," said Daisy.

Luke had been thinking about that ever since they'd been chasing Darla's captors. He didn't like the thought that kept coming up. "Enos, are you sure Sid and Bernardo weren't in that truck?"

"I'm positive, Luke," said Enos. "The back of that truck was empty, and there were tire tracks right by the road."

"That means someone took Bernardo and Sid, too. And if the same guys have Darla...they gotta be workin' for Harold King," said Luke.

Daisy gasped. They all looked at each other, uneasily. "How would they know where Sid and Bernardo were? How would they know where and when to bust them outta jail?" Daisy asked.

"Enos, when you arrested Sid and Bernardo on them felony charges, you sent out a bulletin, right?" said Luke.

"Well, sure, we always—" Enos stopped as realization dawned on him.

Luke nodded. "A gangster as big as Harold King, he's gotta have cops on his payroll somewhere. They might not hear about a trespassin' charge, but felony assault…someone probably tipped him off that Sid and Bernardo got caught. Now, Darla said she thought King was turning the screws on Bernardo, and sent him chasing after her. Then he went and got himself arrested—"

"So, King must have decided to send someone else to finish what Sid and Bernardo started," Bo finished.

"I think it's more than that," said Luke. He was thinking again. "If those were Harold King's men, and he wanted her dead, she'd be dead already; they wouldn't have bothered with takin' her. Now, they came into Hazzard County, but they didn't turn around and leave. Nothin' on Seminole road leads out of Hazzard. If they went up there, they're hidin' out. I think...I think Harold King is with 'em. I think he's here, in Hazzard."

"Possum on a gumbush, you really think so?" said Enos.

"It's the only thing that makes sense," Luke explained. "King wants the money Bernardo owes him, but he wants it now, not later. Even if he has Darla killed, getting her family's entire fortune through probate could take years. I think King's gonna try and get the money out of Darla himself, first."

"But, Darla said that Harold King wanted her family's farm," said Daisy.

"He might, but he could also be sick and tired of waiting," said Luke. "Either way, he may have decided it was time to step in himself."

Just then the wind picked up, stirring leaves and dust. Several papers blew out from under Dixie's front seat and scattered across the yard.

Bo and Luke ran to grab them. "Daisy, are these yours?" asked Bo.

Daisy shook her head. Luke looked at the papers in his hand. "These are from Gary Butler," he said.

"That's who Darla said she went to see this mornin'," said Jesse.

Luke looked some more. "Looks like she got sent something from her lawyers in Lexington," he said. "And…and it looks like she…" He stopped. "Oh, man," he murmured.


	16. Who We're Dealing With

_Miss Verdes. How nice to finally make your acquaintance. I'm Harold King._

Darla's eyes widened. "What do you want? What are you doing here?" she said.

"Well, I would have thought that was obvious," said King. "I'm here for what I am owed."

Despite her fear, Darla glared at him. "I don't owe you _anything_," she hissed.

"True, but your beloved uncle does," said King. "Fifty thousand dollars, give or take a little."

"Then why don't you take that up with _him?_"

"Because quite frankly, I think I'll get farther with you," said King. "Bernardo here has been making empty promises for months now, swearing up and down that he can get himself back in your good graces. I really should have disposed of him a while ago, but the promise of expanding my business into Kentucky was intriguing. Fifty thousand dollars is nice, but I must admit, a stake in a well-respected racing establishment is nicer. However, I'm failing to see any forward progress in that area, so I decided to take it upon myself to make that happen," he finished.

"You truly are a _pendejo_ if you think I'm going to let you anywhere near Treasure Green," said Darla.

"Well, if you wish to stay alive, you'll have to," King said pleasantly. "Removing you would be the simplest solution; however, it will stretch things out a bit time-wise, while your money finds its way through probate and into Bernardo's possession. I can only speed that sort of thing up so much, with my realm of influence. I'd prefer to see a return on my investment sooner. And, it would be a good deal less messy if I didn't have to dispose of you. And of course, not disposing of you means, you get to stay alive. So, I think it's safe to say that humoring me is the only option you have."

Darla looked down for a minute. Suddenly, she let out a low laugh. "No, it isn't," she said, looking back up at him. "Perhaps, in your driving down here, you didn't check in with whatever snitch you have watching my lawyers' office. I've updated my will, and Bernardo is no longer a part of it."

King's face showed no change in emotion. Bernardo's face turned white. _"Idiota!"_ he squealed.

"No matter what you do to me, Bernardo can never claim anything associated with Treasure Green," said Darla, feeling a bit of mean triumph. "The farm and its operation will go to my mother's family, and they will do nothing for Bernardo.

"There's nothing you can do about it," she finished. "No part of Treasure Green will ever be his, and it will never be yours."

King's eyes narrowed a bit. "Then it seems you have a problem," he said. "Because now, I have to make a decision on what to do with you." He walked out, flanked by his two guards.

Darla let out a shaky breath. She felt tears fill her eyes. _Hail Mary, full of grace, pray for us now and at the hour of our death,_ she began to whisper.

* * *

"Darla cut Bernardo out of her will," said Luke. He couldn't believe it; if Harold King was the one holding Darla, the timing couldn't have been worse.

"Yeah, an' boy, she made it clear as a spring mornin'," said Bo, looking at the papers he held. "Looks like Bernardo's never gonna get one thin dime from anything Darla owns." He looked up; no one said a word. "What're y'all lookin' at? This is a good thing, ain't it? I mean, Harold King's gonna have to—to…" His voice trailed off as he saw their expressions.

Luke and Enos looked at each other; they knew what this could mean. "Bo," Luke began. He had no idea how to say this. "As long as Harold King thought he could manipulate Darla and Bernardo, he had a reason to keep them alive. Now…" he gestured to the papers they held, and shook his head. "He may not have a way to get Treasure Green, but that also means he's got no use for either of them."

Bo's eyes widened as he realized what Luke meant. "He's gonna kill her," he whispered. "He's gonna…" Suddenly he remembered what Enos had said about Harold King having the nickname of King Herod. He felt his stomach heave, and everything in his vision blurred. He heard shouts and felt something hit him, but he was too overcome to care.

"Bo! Bo! Come on, now!" he heard Jesse say.

"Here, sit him up!" said Luke. Bo felt hands on him, supporting him.

"Come on, buddy-roe, talk to us!" said Cooter.

Bo opened his eyes. He was staring at the ground. He realized he was sitting down with his head between his knees. It was the ground that had hit him; he must have collapsed. Cooter and Jesse were helping him stay upright.

"Bo?" Bo looked up a little, panting. Luke was kneeling in front of him, with one hand on his shoulder.

"Luke," he said weakly. "Luke…she's gonna…"

The look in Bo's eyes broke Luke's heart. It was a mixture of pain, bewilderment and fear. The thought of what could happen to Darla terrified him. Luke knew if anything happened to her now, Bo might never get over it.

"Enos," said Luke, "You said you'd heard of King before. Is there anything you can tell us about him?"

Enos looked doubtful. "Not really, Luke," he said. "I mean, he's into all the usual stuff—protection rackets, bootleggin', cars, loan-sharkin'…pretty much anything that'll bring in money."

At the mention of money, Luke's eyes lit up. "That's it," he said softly.

"What's it?" asked Cooter, still supporting Bo.

Luke looked at the others. "Well, I said before that King had no reason to keep her. We need to give him a reason," he said. "We're gonna have to make it worth his while to give her back alive."

Bo looked up at that. "You're sayin' we should offer to pay a ransom for her?" he asked, his voice rough.

"Ransom her?" echoed Jesse. "With what? Whatever money we can come up with, it ain't gonna be enough to interest a guy like him."

"I know," said Luke, thinking hard. "Look, I know Darla wouldn't wanna do it. But, she's got an entire farm operation that's dependin' on her to survive. Plus, she's got family…and, she's got us. And we don't want to see anything happen to her. Darla's got the money to make it worth his while to let her go."

"What? Luke, no!" said Bo, trying to get to his feet. "You're sayin' we should do the one thing that's she's been refusin' to do, an' that's to pay him off!"

"I know, Bo, but she's also in the one situation that she's been tryin' to stay out of!" said Luke. "She's at King's mercy now! Payin' him off to let her go is the only chance she's got!"

They were all silent for a minute. They knew Luke was probably right; they just hoped Darla would forgive them.

"Well, I hope ya got a plan cookin' in that brain o' yours, Lukas Dukas, 'cause 'tween all of us we can come with maybe thirty-five dollars an' forty-two cents," said Cooter.

"We're gonna need to find Gary Butler," said Luke. "And then…we're gonna have to see Boss," he finished.

* * *

Harold King stood on the front porch of the cabin, looking out at the small lake it sat on. Inside, two of his men were making Bernardo pay for King having to leave his business in New York to take care of things down South. Bernardo kept blubbering, trying to blurt out apologies and explanations. King shook his head; apparently the big dope hadn't figured out that just taking his medicine would make it end faster. Jimmy and Vince just enjoyed it more when their victims kept up that kind of sniveling. Sid hadn't made a sound.

Despite what Darla had told him, he showed no change in emotion. He hadn't gotten to where he was by making rash decisions, or by letting his anger get the better of him. He had several business associates and rivals who owed their lives to that trait. He needed to find out if what the girl had told him about her will was true. But to do that, they'd need a phone, and they certainly weren't going to find one up here in the backwoods.

And if she was telling the truth, what then? He should probably dispose of them; at least it would be easy here. Bernardo would be no great loss, but Dayanira was another matter. No matter how far she'd gone on the run, King knew her lawyers were still keeping tabs on where she was. They were bound to start a huge search if she wasn't heard from. He'd have to think more on that.

In the tiny side room, Darla was trying her hardest not to listen to what was going on with Bernardo. Sid lay flat on his back against the wall. He was trying to appear calm, but Darla could hear the catch in his breathing. She had very little sympathy for him.

She thought of Bo, and tears welled in her eyes. She wondered if the Dukes were looking for her. Did they have a reason to, after she'd hurt Bo the way she did? Plus, she'd clocked him pretty good, too. It had taken a lot of self-control not to wring her hand after slapping him.

"Bo, I'm so sorry," she whispered. She prayed she'd have the chance to say that to his face. She tried to adjust herself on the chair, and felt her arms shift. She frowned, and moved again. Her arms swung away from the chair. Surprised, Darla put one leg on either side of the chair as far back as she could, lifted her arms, and stood up. The dark-skinned man had never tied her to the chair. She groaned as she moved her shoulders and neck, trying to ease the pain in the muscles. Slowly, she walked to the boarded-up window and peered through the cracks in the wood. She could see two black cars, water and a rocky shoreline. She bent down to get a better angle, and discovered she could see all the way across a small lake, and there was a hilltop off to her right. She stared at it; the rocky outcropping seemed familiar. She moved as far to the left side of the window as she could, and squinted to her right. She could see a group of large branching trees. _Elm trees, _she thought. _Silver Lake. I'm at Silver Lake!_

* * *

At the county building, Boss Hogg was spending the morning trying to explain to everyone from the Georgia State Patrol, to the Federal Marshals, to the Atlanta Herald, how Sid and Bernardo had managed to escape—not once, but twice—in his county. Plus, he'd also had to field several phone calls from "The Syndicate Boys," who were as nervous as hens in a room full of foxes at the rumor that a powerful New York gangster had come to Hazzard.

Boss finally slammed the last phone down and slumped back in his chair. "Oh, my goodness," he moaned.

"Ooh—yer lookin' a little bit peaked there, Boss," said Rosco.

"Ooohh," Boss moaned again. "I am feelin' a mighty bit faint," he whimpered, "'cause Lulu said she ain't bringin' me my lunch!"

"Well, ya prob'ly shouldn'ta been sneakin' chitterlin's outta her fridge," said Rosco.

"Rosco," Boss scowled up at the sheriff; then went back to moaning. "It's all them Dukes' fault!" he said irritably.

Rosco looked confused. "Now, Boss," he said, "You've tried to get them Duke boys ta take the fall for a lotta yer schemes, and they've been some real good schemes, but—I don't see how you're gonna pin this one on 'em. Bo an' Luke, they'd never bust them two crooks outta jail. Not when they're helpin' that Darla gal."

"Yeah? Well, if they didn't always have to be _good Samaritans,_" Boss sneered, "That Darla gal would be long gone outta my county, an' all this trouble with her!" He put his head in his hand. "It's them Dukes; it's _always_ them Dukes!" he whined.

"Boss!" The door banged open, and Bo and Luke stormed in, followed by Jesse, Daisy, Cooter, and Enos.

"Daauuugh!" Boss yelled; he jumped out of his chair and hid behind Rosco.

"Boss, we gotta talk ta you!" said Bo.

"Rosco, ya see? Ya see? It _is_ them Dukes!" yelled Boss.

"Awright, you Dukes," Rosco began, "Now you just—"

"Look, Rosco we ain't got time for this!" said Luke. "We need to talk to Boss, an' it's gotta be right now!

"Oh, just hush! An' git!" said Rosco. "Cain't ya see that Boss is in enough trouble already?"

"But Sheriff, Mr. Hogg, you dunno what's happened!" said Enos.

"Oh, tiddly-tuddly! O' course he knows what happened; them two crooks managed ta bust themselves out!" said Rosco indignantly.

"Yeah, an' I've been answerin' for it all mornin' from here ta Kingdom Come!" said Boss.

"Boss, them guys didn't bust themselves out; somebody did it for 'em!" said Bo.

"And whoever it was, they took Darla, too," said Luke.

Boss and Rosco both started at that. "Darla? No, I didn't know that," said Boss.

"It's true, Mr. Hogg," said Enos.

"And we think—it was Harold King," said Luke.

Boss gasped; his eyes bugged out. "Rosco," he said in a hoarse whisper, "He's _here_. He's here, in my county! _There's a New York gangster in my county!"_ Rosco stuttered in agreement.

"Relax, Boss, he ain't after you!" said Bo, with a touch of sarcasm.

"Look, Boss, we need your help," said Luke. "We talked to Gary Butler; Darla cut Bernardo out of her will. Now, that means that killing her doesn't get Harold King a stake in Darla's farm, but it also means he's got no use for her, so he may just kill her anyway."

"Oh, my," said Boss. "Well, all right, all right, but what's this got ta do with me?"

Luke looked at Jesse; this was going to be the hard part. "Now, J.D.," said Jesse, "You know us Dukes have never asked you for nothin'. And right now, we're not askin' for us. We're askin for her."

"We think they only way we can convince King to let Darla go, is to pay him off," said Luke. "Gary's gone to Atlanta, an' he's gonna contact Darla's lawyers from there. They control her family's money; they can get whatever King asks for, but they'll never get it here fast enough." He took a breath and said, "We need you to front it."

If Boss Hogg had been eating anything at that moment, he would have choked on it. As it was, he nearly choked on his cigar. "What?" he sputtered. "What? Oh, not a chance, not a chance! I mean, how much money are we talkin' here?"

"Well, accordin' to Gary, Bernardo owed King about fifty thousand dollars. We're gonna have to pay him at least that much, if not more, prob'ly double," said Luke.

Boss gasped and clutched at his chest. "A hundred thousand?" he said. "Oh, absolutely not! No! Mmm-mmm! Let me tell you somethin'; there'll be ocean-front property right here in Hazzard County the day I lend a Duke that kinda money!"

"_J.D. HOGG!"_

They all turned at the sound. Barging through the door, picnic basket in hand and with a bellow like an angry bull, was Lulu Hogg. Luke was working hard to keep a straight face; the Dukes had known Boss would never agree to their plan, and they hadn't come unprepared. They'd hoped they wouldn't have to use their ace in the hole.

Hogg's jaw dropped. "Lulu," he gasped. "What are you doin' here?"

"I decided to let bygones be bygones, and bring you your lunch!" said Lulu. "I was listenin' outside, and here I find out that lovely girl Darla's been kidnapped, and you say you ain't gonna do a thing to help her!"

"Well now, I didn't exactly say that, lovey-cakes—"

"No, you said there'd be ocean-front property in Hazzard before you—" said Rosco.

"Dat-dat! Rosco, do you mind!" said Boss.

Lulu gasped. "I don't believe you, J.D.!" she yelled. "Who had to make you knuckle under, before you agreed to pay _my_ ransom?"

"But, sugar-lumps—"

Lulu dropped the basket and started swinging at Boss with her purse. "Don't—you—sugar—lumps—me—you—money—monger!" she yelled, accentuating each word with a blow. Boss put up his hands and tried his best to defend himself. In spite of his worry, even Bo had to fight back a smile.

Lulu was finally out of breath after about a dozen swings. "Now," she said, "You promise them that you'll front whatever money they need to get Darla back, or so help me, I will take every single cent we have in our joint accounts and _give_ it to the Dukes!"

"But, sweetie-muffin—"

"And, we'll be sharin' a bedroom AND a refrigerator from now on!" she finished.

Boss gasped. "You wouldn't!" he squeaked. Lulu just glared at him.

Boss Hogg would have argued with the Dukes until doomsday, but Lulu had him routed and running from the field after a single skirmish. "Well—oh, all right, all right, all _right!_"

The Dukes all breathed a sigh of relief. "All right," said Luke, and reached for the CB on Boss's desk. "Now—we need to find out who we're really dealin' with."


	17. Negotiation

King was still out on the porch when his men joined him, after throwing Bernardo back into the side room.

"So what now, boss?" said the dark-skinned one. King shook his head slightly; he was still weighing his options.

"We should dump them and head back," said another. "I hate being out in this God-forsaken middle-o'-nowhere."

"Patience, Jimmy," said King. "Investments are worth protecting; Treasure Green was a wise investment. Coming down here was necessary."

"Yeah, it _was,_" said the third. "You think she's bluffing about the will?"

"I don't know, Vince," said King. "Freddy, will the car phones work up here?"

"Nah, we're too far into the mountains," said Freddy. "Those CB radios are all we got."

King nodded again, still thinking. If they couldn't reach his contact in Lexington, then removing the girl was still a dilemma. If she was lying, then making her disappear was to his advantage. If she was telling the truth, her removal could seriously backfire on him. Either way, people would question her disappearance, and the questions could lead to him.

Suddenly, they heard a faint voice from the cars. "Breaker, breaker," a man's voice said. "This here's the Lost Sheep, lookin' for one King Herod, come back."

"Cops!" said Vince.

"No," said King, "Not with a handle like Lost Sheep." He had a hand in the Teamsters, and knew some of the CB lingo from listening in on his shipments.

Inside, Darla heard the voice on the CB and gasped. Lifting herself off the chair again, she crept back over to the window, listening.

"Breaker, breaker," the voice said again. "This is Lost Sheep, lookin' for King Herod. We know you're out there, come back."

"Luke!" Darla whispered.

King reached through one of the car windows and came out with the CB mic. "Who is this?" he asked quietly.

In Boss's office, everyone let out a breath at the sound of King's voice, especially Bo. Luke put a hand on Bo's shoulder; this confirmed everything they'd feared. _"Here we go,"_ he whispered. "This is the Lost Sheep of Hazzard County," said Luke. "You've got a member of our flock, an' we want her back."

Darla let out a breath and felt tears in her eyes again. _They're trying to find me,_ she thought.

Jimmy, Freddy and Vince were all sniggering. "Lost Sheep?" said Jimmy. "Whatta buncha hicks."

King scowled at them; they quieted instantly. "I'm not sure what you mean, precisely," he said in a smooth voice.

"Sir, unless you want us to broadcast her name, and yours, over the entire Hazzard Net, I suggest you play along," said Luke.

King's eyes narrowed. "Very well, if you'd like to refer to the person in question as a sheep, I can play along," he said. "I'm not in the habit of giving things up. And she may very well be worth keeping."

"Not to you, she ain't," said Luke. "She's already taken herself out from under your thumb. We know about her will. So you might as well give up on her farm, 'cause that's never gonna happen."

Darla's jaw dropped; how could they know about that? "But, we can make returning her worth your while," Luke went on.

"Go on," said King.

"You originally went after our sheep because her uncle owed you money. Now, we understand your anger about that; a debt has to be paid. How much does he owe you?" Luke asked.

"Well he owed me about fifty large, originally," said King, "although with interest and aggravation, it's quite a bit more, now."

"How much more?"

King pretended to think for a moment. "Let's say…sixty-five thousand, total."

Luke was silent for a moment. He'd wondered what King would say about the amount Bernardo owed; the fact that he wasn't over-inflating the amount by much made him think King was probably playing straight with them. The hard part was, they hadn't heard back from Gary Butler yet; without knowing if Darla's lawyers would cooperate, he was flying blind. But, this was probably the only chance they'd get to negotiate with King. He'd have to take the risk.

"We'll double the original amount," Luke finally said. "One hundred thousand, for her safe return."

"_What?"_ Darla whispered. _"Oh, Bo, Luke, no! No! Don't do this!"_ There was no way they had access to that much money. They'd have to give up every single thing they had. She couldn't let them do this; she'd have to find a way out.

King was actually surprised. He knew Dayanira had a few school friends in Georgia and Florida, but they weren't in this area. The Verdes didn't have any family here; who would want to pay so much for her? "That's a very generous offer," he said. "But I must confess I'm a bit confused. For starters, who are you that you'd want to pay a ransom to get her back? Especially when I haven't even asked for a ransom in the first place? And second, how do I know you're actually planning on paying me, and not just trying to buy time for her? And third, I'm holding all the cards right now. If I push enough buttons, I can get her to do whatever I want. So why would I agree to a ransom, when there are so many other possibilities?"

Listening to King made Bo's skin crawl. He'd had enough. "Gimme that," he said, and grabbed the mic.

"Wait, Bo—!" Luke made a grab for it, but Bo held on. "Well, mister, the answers are simple," he said.

"Who is this?" said King.

"_Bo?"_ whispered Darla.

"This is Lost Sheep number two," said Bo, "And like I said, it's simple enough. For starters, we're folks who've come to consider Darla to be one of our own, and that's why we're willin' to make a deal with you if that what it takes to get her back. Second—I dunno how y'all do things in New York, but down here, when we give our word, we keep it. So if we say you'll get a hundred thousand to give her back, then that's what you'll get. And third—makin' a deal for her is the only way you're gonna get outta Hazzard. Otherwise, you're gonna have to take your chances with whoever finds you first up there. Revenuers, moonshiners, law enforcement…take your pick."

"My boy, I don't respond well to threats," said King. "You take one step in my direction, and I promise you, there won't be enough of a corpse left of this bitch to bury."

"Mister, you so much as lay a hand on her, and _I_ promise _you_, you won't make it out of Hazzard county," Bo snapped.

"Bo…" The warning was evident in Luke's voice, but Bo went on. "We know every inch of this county. We also know the only way you can get outta that mountain range, is to go out the way you came in. It's easy enough to block off. An' no matter how hidden you think you are, if we put our minds to it, you'd have maybe two hours before we found you."

King chuckled at that. "And, what—you're just going to swoop in like a knight in shining armor and come to her rescue?" He laughed into the mic. "Really, my boy, go on; this is a most amusing story you're telling."

Bo felt Luke's hand on his arm; he gritted his teeth and fought back a retort. _Losing your head won't help her,_ he told himself. "No, I reckon the people who would show up to find you would be a lot more dangerous than me," Bo went on. "Right now, I'd wager our farm that no one in law enforcement knows you've left New York. But we can change that. We can make it so every single local, state and federal officer in Georgia knows you're here. And we'd be happy to help them find you. There'll be an army waitin' for you the minute you crawl out from that rock you're hidin' under. You won't be able to move an inch unless it's in a paddy wagon." Bo's voice rose as he went on.

"He's bluffing!" said Freddy. King silenced him with a look. He frowned at the mic; he didn't like the way this conversation was going.

Luke reached out and gently took the mic from Bo. "The way we see it, you got two choices. You can leave Hazzard in shackles with whatever law enforcement agency finds you first. Or, you can give Darla back to us, and leave Hazzard with a lot more money than you came with. It's your choice."

The CB went silent as King thought on what they'd said. His second-in-command had warned him against coming; now these people knew he was here. And he had no law enforcement on his payroll here; he couldn't arrange an exit. He could still have the girl killed, and it would be very satisfying, but what would it accomplish? It wouldn't make him any richer. Removing someone who was preventing him from an investment opportunity was, in his mind, a wise business decision, but that was no longer the case here.

King also had a knack for knowing when people were lying to him. That was what annoyed him about Bernardo. He'd known, when Bernardo said he could track Dayanira down and convince her to split with him, that he was lying. Of course, Bernardo hadn't known; he actually thought he could do it, and so King had kept him alive.

Now, he was fairly positive that Dayanira wasn't lying about her will. His insides seethed at the thought of a very lucrative business prospect dissolving like papyrus in vinegar before his eyes, but his face betrayed no emotion. He thought about the people he was talking to. He had no idea who they were, so he had no way of gauging whether or not they were lying. But, judging by the sound of the one man's voice, they obviously wanted her back. They could just be buying time with the promise of money while they tried to find him, but he doubted it. They had to know he would kill Dayanira if they didn't deliver. Ransom money wasn't much of a consolation prize, but the amount they were talking about would more than square up what Bernardo owed him. Perhaps—

The Dukes waited for an answer. Bo's heart was pounding so hard he could hear the echo in his ears. Daisy clung to Enos. Luke took several deep breaths; the last time he'd felt this kind of tension, he'd been in a jungle in Vietnam, staring into the brush, knowing the VC was waiting to ambush his troops.

Finally, they heard a faint click. "Very well. You drive a very…convincing bargain, Lost Sheep," they heard King say.

They all let out a breath. Bo took the mic again. "We ain't made any bargain yet, mister," he said, "Not 'til we know Darla's alive."

King gestured to Freddy and Vince. "Bring her out here," he said. "In fact, bring all of them out here."

As they came inside, Darla hustled back to the chair and positioned her arms over the back again. _What are they trying to do? _She'd heard a few stories of the Dukes' doing a shuck an' jive, but she had no idea how to play along. _If they can find me, they wouldn't have to pay,_ she thought. _How can I let them know where I am? Think!_ There had to be some way to let them know where she was without tipping King off.

Freddy grabbed Darla and marched her outside; Vince and Jimmy each grabbed Sid and Bernardo. King held the mic out. "Seems there's some lost sheep looking for Bo Peep," he said to Darla. "Talk."

Her mind racing, Darla said, "Lost Sheep?"

On hearing her voice, Bo closed his eyes and let out a shuddering sigh of relief. _She's alive,_ he thought._ Thank God, she's alive._ His voice choked; he couldn't speak. Luke took the mic from him. "Darla? Is that you?" he said.

"Yeah," she said, watching King. _Come on, think of something!_ Her mind yelled at her. She couldn't use Spanish; they'd know right away she was trying to convey something.

"Darla?" It was Bo. "Honey, are you all right?" The anguish in his voice was unmistakable.

Darla's eyes teared up instantly at the sound of his voice. "More or less," she said.

"My, my," said King. "Sounds like someone's rather sweet on this pretty thing," he said into the mic. Now their willingness to pay made more sense. He reached out and grabbed Darla's chin, tilting her face up toward him. "And what a pretty thing she is. Quite a piece of art, I'd say."

Still watching King, Darla realized he hadn't let go of the CB mic. Bo and Luke could still hear her. She was running out of time. Suddenly, an idea slammed through her mind. _Art!_ She couldn't believe her luck. Would it work? Would Bo understand? She could only try.

"A piece of art?" she said. "I didn't realize you were an art collector. I thought you just collected corpses." She tried to match Cary Grant's inflection without being too obvious. _Please, dear God, let him catch the line! Let him get this!_

"All right, boys, you have your proof. Stay near your end of the line; when I decide where I want the money delivered, I'll contact you." King looked at Darla again. Holding the mic open, he pulled out a gun. Darla's eyes widened in fear.

"And, just so we're clear—" King turned, aimed his weapon, and fired.


	18. Codes and Plans

In Boss's office, everyone started at the sound of the gunshot. Daisy's hands flew to her mouth to muffle a scream. Bo dropped the mic and jumped back as though the thing had bitten him. Luke and Cooter caught him, or he would have crashed to the ground. All of them stared in horror.

Bernardo's head snapped back; he fell back to the ground without a sound. He stared, without seeing, at the blue sky, a thin trickle of blood running from his forehead.

"_NO!" _Darla screamed. Her knees buckled; nobody caught her as she hit the ground. _"NO, TIO! NO!"_

King turned back to the mic. "Bernardo ceased to be of any use to me," he growled. His voice held none of its former grace. "You don't deliver the money, and _she_ won't be of any use to me either. And I promise you, her death will be a lot messier. Her head would look quite nice on a platter."

Bo lurched himself upright and grabbed the mic again. "Let her talk to me," he gasped. There was no answer. _"You let her talk to me, right now, or the deal's off, King!"_ he yelled.

King jerked his head at Vince; he yanked Darla to her feet. "Talk to your boyfriend," said King, and held the mic to her mouth.

Darla was gasping with sobs, staring at her uncle's corpse. King pointed his gun at her. _"Talk!"_

Darla took a ragged breath and swallowed hard. She heard Bo's voice over the CB. "Darla?" he cried out. "Darla, talk to me, please!"

Darla swallowed again. "Bo?" she said.

Bo gasped again, this time in relief. "I'm here, honey," he said. "Are you all right?"

Darla looked at King; he still had his gun pointed at her. She forced herself to think straight. She couldn't believe this was going to work, but it wouldn't unless she said it right. _Please, God, let him understand._ "Bo, his weapon is pointed at my heart, so please, no errors of judgment, I beg of you," she said. She'd twisted the line a bit; she could only pray Bo would remember and understand her clue. Then she said, "Five, down on one, isn't good odds."

"Enough," said King. "Throw her back in with Sid." As Vince pulled Darla toward the cabin, King said, "No more talk; you want your girlfriend, ploughboy, you stay by the mic and wait for my call." He threw the mic back in the car. "Get rid of that," he said to Freddy, motioning to Bernardo's corpse.

The CB mic slid through Bo's fingers and dropped to Boss's desk with a clatter. Jesse put an arm around him. "C'mere, son," he murmured. He steered Bo to the couch and sat him down. Bo stared blankly ahead, trying to catch his breath. He was still shaking from hearing the gunshot. His chest felt like it was constricting; he hadn't been bothered by his asthma in years, but then again, he hadn't really panicked this much, either.

Luke and Daisy sat down on either side of him. Daisy put her arms around him; Luke put a hand on his shoulder. Bo shook his head a little. "When I heard that shot…" he said, and swallowed. "I thought…"

"I know, Bo, I know, I did too!" said Daisy.

"The important thing is, he's willing to deal for her," said Luke.

For a moment, it was quiet, except for Bo's labored breathing. Cooter rubbed the back of his neck, thinking. Something about what Darla had said was bugging him. "Y'know, I don't know Darla as well as y'all, but does she always talk like that?"

"Whaddya mean?" asked Luke.

"Just now, that last thing she said, about his weapon bein' pointed at her heart. And the way she said it—I dunno, it just doesn't sound like somethin' she'd say." He frowned. "Funny thing is, I get the feelin' I've heard it before, somewhere."

The boys and Daisy looked at each other. "What did she say, exactly?" asked Daisy.

Jesse thought. "His weapon is pointed at my heart—"

Bo's face lit up. "So please, no errors of judgment, I beg of you!" he finished. "It's _North By Northwest!_"

"It's what?"

"Alfred Hitchcock's _North By Northwest!_ She told me she knew every line of that movie!" said Bo. Then he looked confused. "But—why would she say that line? Just because King had a gun pointed at her?" Bo's insides fluttered at the thought.

Slowly, Luke grinned. "I don't think it's the _line_ she wanted you to remember, Bo," he said. "I think it's the movie's _name_. North by northwest—it's a direction!"

Bo's jaw dropped. "You think she's trying to tell us where she is?"

"I'll bet she is, and she knew it was the only way she could tell us without King knowing!" said Luke. He and Bo both jumped up. "Boss, we need a county map!"

"What? Oh, yeah, yeah, right up here!" said Boss, and pointed to the framed map behind his desk. Bo looked at it eagerly; then his face fell. "Luke, north by northwest could mean anything," he said.

Luke thought for a minute. "She doesn't know where we're at right now; she probably thought we were at the farm," he said. "Let's work from there." He put his finger on the point where the farm would be.

"North by Northwest; that's still a lotta ground to cover," said Enos, walking up.

"Wait a minute, didn't she say somethin' else?" said Luke, looking around at the others.

"Yeah," said Cooter. "She said, 'five down on one isn't good odds." He looked confused.

So did Bo. "That ain't in the movie," he said.

"Hmmm…" Luke thought. He looked at the map again. "Five and one; maybe she's trying to tell us distance."

"Yeah, she could be!" said Bo, looking at the map again. "Five down; well, she can't mean south…"

"Nah, that'd put 'em smack in the middle of the Hazzard Marsh; them guys wouldn't go in there," said Luke. "And besides, it's north by northwest; they went up Seminole Road, she's gotta be somewhere north of the farm."

"Ooh—Ooh!" said Rosco. "You know what, she said 'Five, down on one;' that could mean 'five, _minus_ one'!"

Bo and Luke both gave him a surprised look. "Good one, Rosco!" said Bo. "Ya think she means four miles?" he asked Luke.

"Maybe," said Luke, and started tracing his finger upwards from the farm. "Four miles, north by northwest, that's—"

Suddenly, Bo gasped. "Silver Lake!" he yelled. "Luke, I took her horseback riding up there! She must remember it! I told her where the farm was from there; they must have her at the old silver mine cabin!"

"Atta girl, Darla!" Luke said excitedly; they all exclaimed in relief. Bo turned and headed for the door. "C'mon, y'all we gotta go!" he said.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a sec, Bo!" said Luke. He grabbed Bo's elbow and pulled him to a stop. "We can't go. Not yet."

"What're you talkin' about, Luke?" said Bo. "We know where she is, now we gotta go up there and get her!" He started for the door again.

Luke grabbed his arm again; Bo yanked it away. "Dang it, Luke, what is wrong with you?" Bo yelled.

"Bo," Luke began. _This is gonna take a lot of persuading,_ he thought. "Listen to me, please."

"I ain't listenin', Luke!" snapped Bo, and shoved him.

Luke bit back his frustration as he regained his footing. Enos quickly stepped up. "Bo, stop!" he said.

Bo pointed a finger at him; he was getting enraged. "Enos, don't you—" He bit his words off as Enos grabbed his hand, twisted his arm around and up his back, and pushed his face into the wall.

"_OW!"_ Bo yelled in pain, and surprise. All of them were shocked by Enos's sudden move.

"I mean it, Bo! Stop!" said Enos, and pushed harder. The look on his face was not the one of a bumbling, nervous deputy; it was the look of a patrol officer who'd spent a year dealing with criminals on the streets and beats of Los Angeles. Bo was almost a head taller than Enos, but he found he couldn't move an inch against his hold; he could barely even struggle.

"_ENOS!"_ Jesse bellowed. _"You let him loose!"_

"Enos, stop! Let him go, please!" Daisy cried.

"Enos, let him go," said Luke quickly. "He's not goin' anywhere. Just let him go."

Enos held on for another second, then let go. Bo turned and winced as blood flowed back into his arm. He looked at Enos in anger and disbelief.

"I'm sorry, Bo," said Enos. He looked guilty—but determined. "Really. But you wouldn't let me go do somethin' stupid when Frank Scanlon kidnapped Daisy. I ain't gonna let you do it, neither."

"Bo," said Luke, "We can't just go chargin' in there. We do that, and bullets will start flyin'."

"Luke's right, Bo," said Enos. "These ain't just moonshiners or petty crooks we're dealin' with, here. These are New York gangsters, and if they're workin' for Harold King, they're hardened criminals."

"Bo," Luke said softly. He put his hands on Bo's shoulders. "From the sound of things, King killed Bernardo. And I bet he didn't even bat an eye when he did it. He won't hesitate to kill Darla if he feels threatened. Now, will ya trust me? Please?"

"Bo, please," Daisy pleaded.

Bo wanted more than anything to argue, but it the back of his mind, he knew the others were right. He'd never forgive himself if anything happened to Darla. They had to get her out of this alive. He sighed, and nodded.

Luke sighed in relief. His next step would have been to knock Bo cold while they figured out a plan, and he really didn't want to do that. "All right," he said to everyone. "King and his men are probably holed up at the Silver Lake cabin, but we better be sure. We'll need to scope it out."

"Well, now, you two can't go up there," said Jesse. "If any one o' them talks to ya, they'll know you was the ones on the CB."

"Yeah, you're right," said Luke. "But we're the only ones they know." He looked at the others and said, "Daisy? Enos? You two feel like goin' on a date?"

* * *

Darla sat in the side room, trying to catch her breath. Tears streamed down her face. She had little love for Bernardo any more, but he was still some of the last family she had, and the last to carry the Verdes name. And, he'd just been murdered before her eyes.

She'd seen the look in King's eyes, just before he'd pulled the trigger. They were lifeless; no emotion showed whatsoever. Would he have the same look in his eyes when he fired at her? What if he found the Dukes, and chose to go after them? She felt a surge of panic as an image flashed through her head; of King pointing his gun at Bo, with that same stone-cold look on his face.

She had no idea what to do. She'd looked for a piece of glass or a nail, anything sharp to cut her bonds with, but her prison was completely empty except for her chair. She couldn't run with her arms tied, and she doubted she could make it past King or his men even if she wasn't restrained. She was completely trapped, at King's mercy. Her breathing quickened as she saw the hopelessness of her situation. She tried to focus on slowing her breathing, when she heard the faint sound of a car engine. It grew louder as it approached. Oddly enough, it sounded familiar.

Vince and Freddy heard the whine of the engine coming across the lake. They looked and saw a man and a woman in a white jeep, coming around the side of the lake toward the cabin.

"Oh, my goodness!" said Daisy, as they pulled up. "I didn't know old man Bronson had rented out this place! How y'all doin'?" she said, with a friendly smile.

"_Daisy?"_ Darla whispered, as she crept closer to listen.

"Who are you?" Freddy demanded.

"Me? Oh, my name's Daisy!" she said, climbing out of Dixie. She moved around to the front of the jeep; Freddy's and Vince's gaze both moved to her long, bare legs as she leaned against the hood. "I'm twenty-six and unmarried. Now ya know everything!" she said. It was the line Bo had told her to say. She couldn't see Darla; she could only hope she was listening.

Inside, Darla gasped. _They got it!_ She let out a sigh of relief. _They know I'm here._ She had no idea what they were planning, but at least they knew where she was.

"Enos, honey," she said, and affected a pout as she moved around to the passenger side, "I just don't see how we can our special picnic now, with all these folks here! I mean, we were countin' on a little privacy." She looked at the others and smiled. "We've been together for a whole year now, an' Enos brought me here on our very first date! Ain't that right, sugar?" she cooed, smiling up at Enos. Enos just smiled back at her; he was a bad liar at the best of times, and he couldn't help keeping a wary eye on the two guards.

"Very nice, lady, but this cabin's taken," said Freddy.

"Oh," said Daisy, trying to look disappointed. "Well, I guess we could just go down the shoreline a ways, Enos honey. Of course, we'll have to make sure we don't get too crazy—"

"Enough, lady," said Vince. Jimmy joined him and Freddy on the porch; they stood shoulder-to-shoulder as Vince said, "Leave. Now."

Enos looked at them warily. "Um, Daisy," he said, "I think these here folks want some privacy of their own."

Daisy, too, kept her eyes on them. "Well, I guess we could go to the place where we had our second date," she said. As they climbed back in the jeep, she managed another nervous smile and said, "Y'all take care now!"

Darla's heart sank as she saw them leave. She heard movement in the next room and scrambled to sit back down before someone checked on her. _What are they doing?_ She had no idea what they were planning. "Please, just don't let one of them get killed trying to save me!" she whispered. _Especially not Bo,_ she added silently.

Daisy and Enos headed past the two cars, toward the dirt trail that led away from the lake. As she headed around a curve and the cabin disappeared from view, she slowed down. Bo and Luke burst out of the brush, bows and arrows in hand, jumped in the back, and Daisy drove on.

"You guys all right?" asked Luke.

"'Course we are!" said Daisy.

"Did ya see Darla? Ya think she got the message?" asked Bo.

"I'm sorry, Bo," said Daisy, trying to glance over her shoulder while navigating the road. "I never saw her."

"She got it, Bo," said Enos. He'd been closer to the boarded window, and heard the faint gasp. "She knew we were there; she knows we're lookin' for her." Bo sighed in relief. "It was a good idea," Enos went on, "although I was wonderin' if them guys would believe Daisy's really twenty-six," he grinned.

"Enos!" Daisy exclaimed indignantly.

"Which one was King? We were too far away to tell," said Luke.

"None of 'em," said Enos. "King's older; he's supposed to be about sixty. Them guys were maybe half that age."

"He musta still been inside with Darla, then," said Luke. "C'mon, let's go meet the others."

* * *

Jimmy walked back inside as they drove away. "They're gone," he said. "Just a couple of hicks."

King frowned. "I don't like it," he said. "Somebody knows we're here now." He thought for a minute, then stood up. "Get her. We're leaving."

* * *

At the nearest hunting cabin, the Dukes and Enos met with up with Boss, Rosco and Cooter.

"Did ya see her?" asked Jesse. Bo shook his head.

"Well, there are at least three guys here with King," said Luke. "We didn't see King himself; we also didn't see Darla, or Bernardo and Sid." Luke shook his head. "I gotta think Bernardo's dead. If Sid's alive, he's out of commission."

"So, we've got four guys to deal with," said Bo, "An' all of 'em are probably armed."

"So," said Luke, "We know how many guys we're dealin' with, but unless we can figure out where King wants to make the drop, we still don't have the advantage."

Suddenly, they heard a faint voice on the CB. "This is King Herod, looking for the Lost Sheep of Hazzard County."

Bo and Luke exchanged a look, and ran for the General Lee. "Yeah, you got the Lost Sheep," said Luke. "You're a bit early; we didn't expect ya for a while."

"Well, while I've enjoyed my stay in your lovely county, it's time for me to move on," said King. He looked across the back seat at the passenger next to him. "Which means that unless you want to find a red-headed corpse in Hazzard, it's time for an exchange."

"We agreed to a bargain, an' we'll keep it," said Luke. "Where're you at? We'll come to you."

"Not just yet," said King. "We're currently on the move. When I'm confident that no one's following us, I'll contact you."

Luke waited, but the CB had gone silent. "Dang it! We spooked him," he said.

Bo kicked at the General's tires in frustration. "Now what?"

Jesse was watching the CB during their conversation. "Y'know," he said, "The meter on this thing was peggin' out at five bars while they were talkin'. That means they hafta have been somewhere close; they musta gone right by us."

"Well, we cain't just go lookin' for 'em," said Cooter. "From the sound o' things, they'll flip if they catch anybody followin' 'em."

Bo suddenly had a thought. "Hey, I wonder if Elliot's up in the fire tower today!" Elliot Jerome was a forest ranger assigned to Hazzard County in the summer; he manned one of the fire towers in the mountains, watching for brush fires. "He could look for us, an' King would never know it!"

"You're right!" Luke exclaimed. He turned the General's CB to channel 9. "This here's Luke Duke, lookin' for Elliot Jerome, ya got your ears on?"

After a moment, they heard a click. "Yeah, this here's ranger Jerome!" he said. "You're on the emergency channel, Luke, so you better be needin' somethin' important, or it's gonna cost ya several beers at the Boars Nest!"

Luke grinned. "Don't worry, it's important," he said. "We're tryin' to find a girl that's been kidnapped. Help us out, and the beers are yours."

"Hey, no need for beers if I'm helpin' with that," Elliot answered. "What do ya need?"

"We need you to start at Silver Lake, and follow Seminole Road down toward the Hatchapee Crossing on Route 36," said Luke. "Do you see any cars?'

"Hang on," said Elliot. He grabbed his scope and started tracing his way down the mountain. He couldn't see the road through the tree canopy, but he knew roughly where it was, and followed the faint lines across the valley. He finally noticed a faint wisp of dust, rising up into the trees. "Well, unless you're out there kickin' up dust in the General," he said, "I think I got somethin'."

"Yes!" said Bo. "C'mon, where?" he said impatiently.

"What can ya tell us, Elliot?" said Luke.

"Hang on, they should be comin' outta the trees any minute," said Elliot. He looked again through the scope. "Okay, I got two black cars; they just turned onto Route 36, headin' towards Hatchapee." He switched to his binoculars and kept watching. "Huh," he said. "Looks like they're stoppin'." He waited a minute. "Yep—they just stopped in the middle of Green River Bridge."

"Alrighty, much obliged, Elliot!" said Luke. "Listen, if they move, you give us a holler on channel 16, okay?"

"Will do, Luke!" said Elliot.

Bo grabbed their county map from the General's glove box and spread it out over the hood. "Green River," Luke muttered. "There's cover there, but it's all on the far side. If we approach them from this side, they'll see us comin' a mile away."

"Well, we can't all of us show up," said Bo. "We gotta stay outta sight to keep Darla safe."

Luke thought hard for a minute. "Boss," he finally said, "give the money to Uncle Jesse."

Boss held his briefcase to his chest. "But—"

"Boss, we ain't got time to argue!" said Luke. "You agreed to this; now hand it over!"

Jesse came over and tried to take the briefcase from Boss. "But—but—" Boss stuttered. Jesse tugged on the case, but Boss still wouldn't let go.

"Boss!" said Bo. "You let that case go, or I'll call Lulu!"

"Dat—!" Boss winced, then finally let go, whimpering. Jesse gave him an exasperated sigh.

"Uncle Jesse, you're gonna have to make the swap. Daisy—"

"No, Luke, I should do it!" said Bo.

"No, it needs to be Uncle Jesse. Daisy, you go with him," said Luke. "Rosco, get to a phone. Call Sheriff Floyd in Hatchapee; tell him to block off Route 36 at the county line to cut off their escape route. Enos—have you got a scope rifle with you?"

Enos nodded. "All right, then," said Luke. "Now, here's what we do."


	19. Showdown

"King Herod to Lost Sheep." King's voice came over the CB again.

"This is Lost Sheep," said Luke. "Where are you?"

"We're at a bridge on State Highway 36," said King. "You can bring the money to us here."

"The Green River Bridge," said Luke. "We know it; we'll be there."

"Don't keep me waiting; it makes me impatient," said King. "And remember—she's useful to me now, in many ways. Any cops, and that usefulness ends."

"We got it; we're on our way," said Luke. He looked at the others. "All right, we're gonna have to move fast if we want this to work." He looked at Uncle Jesse and Cooter. "You two are gonna be in the most danger; you be careful out there."

Cooter nodded. "We'll get it done, don't you worry," he said. He clapped Bo on the shoulder. "We'll get 'er back," he said quietly. Bo just nodded; he didn't trust himself to speak.

Luke looked to Daisy and Enos. "If this goes south, you know what to do," he said softly.

Daisy looked pale, but she nodded resolutely. "I won't miss," she said.

"Enos?" Luke looked to the deputy.

"I'll watch out for her," he said.

Luke moved closer. "I'm not gonna ask you to do this, Enos," he said, softly enough that only Enos could hear. "It's my plan; I'll switch places with you if you want."

"It's gotta be me, Luke," said Enos, just as softly. "You know that. If it goes down that way, people'll be askin' questions that you can't answer."

Luke sighed and nodded. "Let's go, Bo," he said. "Boss, Rosco? You stick behind us."

As Bo pulled away from the hunting cabin, he stole a glance at Luke. "You really think this is gonna work?" he said nervously.

Luke looked ahead, his chin resting on his interlinked hands. He'd been trying not to think about that part. This was easily the most dangerous plan he'd ever come up with, and he had no idea if it would work. There was so much that had to go right, and so much that could wrong…

"It's gotta work," he finally said. He looked at Bo. "We'll make it work."

* * *

The two cars waited in the middle of the bridge. Green River gurgled quietly underneath them. Vince and Jimmy looked nervously at the bright green water. There was no possible way to fall off any of the bridges over the Hudson; they were completely fenced in. But Green River Bridge was little more than a slab of asphalt on concrete blocks. The slight lip on the edges might keep a wagon wheel from going over the edge, but not a car.

In the back of the rear car, King looked at the disheveled redhead next to him. She was staring blankly at the floor. She sniffed occasionally; he could hear her breathing slowly through her nose, trying to keep herself calm.

"I have to admit, you deserve marks for courage," said King. "You've proven yourself brave, resourceful, and quick-thinking. And, you managed to stay a step ahead of me for quite a while. You would do well, in an organization like mine."

Darla didn't look at him, but her expression changed. "I'm not in the business of selling out," she growled.

"Business _is_ the art of selling out," said King. "It's all about selling out to what will make you the most money, and making it by any means necessary."

"Is that how you sleep at night?"

King smirked. "So, do you really think your friends will come with the money?" he said, changing the subject.

At that, tears flooded Darla's eyes. She nodded.

"You seem to think that's a bad thing," said King.

Darla took a breath. "You said before, that you always know when people are lying to you," she said, and turned her head to show a fresh swelling on the corner of her mouth. "You're not the only one with that ability." She looked down. "You don't intend to let me live," she whispered. "But they think you'll keep your word. You're lying to them. And I don't want them to live with that." She looked back at him. "For someone who's so intent on punishing liars, I thought you valued honesty more than that."

King frowned; before he could answer, Vince said, "Someone's comin', sir."

* * *

Freddy joined Jimmy and Vince on the bridge as an old white pickup truck approached. Cooter and Jesse got out. Cooter was holding a briefcase.

"All right, that's far enough," said Jimmy, as the two approached the bridge. All three of them trained their guns on Cooter and Jesse. "You just drop the case, and back off."

"Which one o' y'all's Harold King?" Cooter called out.

"You can leave it with us," said Vince.

"Listen," said Jesse, "If Harold King wants his money, he can collect it himself! An' he doesn't get a dime until we see Darla an' know she's all right!"

For a moment, none of them moved. Finally, Freddy went over to the rear sedan and spoke through the window. He backed up as the door opened and an older man climbed out.

King frowned at them. "You're not the ones I spoke to on the radio," he said. "Where are they? Who are you people?"

"We're just more o' the family," said Cooter. "We got the money we promised you, an' you got the girl you promised us. Now where is she?"

King reached back inside and grabbed someone's arm. Darla struggled to keep her footing as King dragged her out of the car. Cooter and Jesse both tried to keep their composure when they saw her. Her hands were still bound behind her back. In addition to the scar on her forehead and the bruise on her cheek, it looked like someone had given her a fat lip as well.

"All right, you've seen her," said King, "And for now, she's in one piece. Now bring the money!"

Cooter started forward. "Wait," said Jesse, and put a hand out to stop him. "It's yer money," he said to King, "_You_ come an' get it."

In a flash, King pulled his gun out; Darla gasped as he pressed the muzzle under her chin. The other three pointed their guns at Cooter and Jesse again.

"I don't think you realize just how serious I am, and I'm getting tired of repeating myself," said King. "Bring the money, or she's going to be in a lot more pieces."

Suddenly, everyone heard two loud _pops,_ followed by a loud hiss. King's and his men's heads snapped around. Two arrows were sticking out of the lead sedan, one in the tire and one in the radiator.

"What the—" said Jimmy. King's eyes widened at the sight.

"I don't think you realize how serious _we_ are, King!" a voice shouted.

"Luke," Darla breathed.

"That's one car down, an' we got a lotta arrows!" another voice yelled.

Darla's breath caught in her throat. _Bo._

Bo and Luke were hiding in deer stands in the trees that lined the shore on the far side of the river. King turned toward their voices. "You sons o' bitches, _where are you?_" All four of them started to point their guns wildly in different directions.

"Our offer still stands," Luke yelled. "You let her go, an' the money's yours."

"You don't, an' you don't leave," Bo added.

King turned back to Cooter and Jesse. "Bring the money," he said hoarsely.

"You want the money, let 'er go!" said Jesse.

"Bring the money!"

"_Let her go!"_

"I'll get it," Darla said suddenly. She tried to pull her head away from King's gun. "I'll get it; I'll bring you the money," she said again.

King hesitated a moment. He had no idea what these hicks were planning. He was accustomed to being in complete control of a situation. That was no longer the case. He was beginning to wish he'd simply had both Bernardo and Dayanira eliminated, rather than coming down here to resolve the situation. And what was with the cowboys and Indians? Who the hell used bows and arrows anymore?

"Think they're nervous, cuz?" said Bo. He was intently watching the scene, but he couldn't quite hide a grin.

"We better hope so," said Luke. This was a big part of his plan; they wanted King and his men nervous enough to want to make the exchange quickly, but not so nervous they'd start shooting.

King finally relaxed his grip and shoved Darla forward. "Fine," he said, pointing his gun at her again. "Get moving."

Darla felt out of breath as she headed toward the end of the bridge. Cooter saw the fear in her eyes, but her face was stoic. He glanced behind her; four guns were still trained on her back. Cooter knew they wouldn't hesitate to fire if he tried to pull her toward the truck.

"Just keep comin', Darla," he said. Darla swallowed hard as she reached him. Cooter put an arm around her; she let out a ragged breath as she felt his embrace.

"It's okay, Darla, we're gonna get ya outta this," he said. He turned her around and pulled out his knife to cut her bonds.

A shot rang out; a patch of dust exploded at her feet. They both flinched; Darla had to choke back a scream. "What the heck was that for?" Cooter shouted.

"She stays tied, until she brings the money to me," King called back.

Darla looked over her shoulder at Cooter. "_He's not going to let me go," _she whispered loudly. _"He'll shoot me once he has the money."_

Cooter and Jesse exchanged a look. Cooter tried to place the briefcase in her hands, but the handle barely brushed her fingers and dropped to the ground. As he bent to pick it up, he whispered back, "_We're not gonna let that happen. Trust us."_

Darla fought to keep herself calm. With her hands tied, she still couldn't run. She didn't know what help she could be; she'd be almost helpless in a fight. She glanced at King; he was focused on the briefcase she was gripping behind her. Then, she glanced at the bright green water of the river, and an idea formed in her mind. She took a deep breath, and started walking.

Cooter gritted his teeth as she started back toward the bridge. Jesse was also nervous as he watched her go. Bo and Luke watched from the trees, arrows at the ready.

Darla forced herself to keep walking as she reached the edge of the bridge. King and his men still held their guns at the ready. She watched the bright green water of Green River move sluggishly along its way, barely gurgling as it hit the concrete supports of the bridge. The faint noise of the water was the only sound other than her footsteps. She stayed near the edge, watching the water move, as she headed for the middle of the bridge.

As she reached them, she let her feet brush the rim of the bridge, keeping her eyes on King. He made a gesture; Vince moved to take the case from her. But as he did, Darla turned so her back was to the water. "Stop!" she said, and leaned back as far as her aching arms would allow, dangling the case over the bridge's edge.

All three of King's men moved to grab her. "Wait!" King yelled.

"Throw your guns in the river," said Darla. Her voice shook a little, but it carried.

"What is she _doing_?" said Bo.

"Guns, in the river, all of you! Now!" Darla said, louder.

"She's tryin' to even the odds," said Luke.

Jimmy and Vince both pointed their guns at her. "_No!_" King yelled.

"You shoot me, I fall, and your boss's money goes with me," Darla said loudly. "You don't lose the guns, I jump, and your boss's money _still_ goes with me."

King cocked his gun and pointed it at Darla's head. _"No!"_ said Bo, and drew back his bow.

"Bo, no!" said Luke.

"Luke, he gonna—"

"Bo, just wait!"

"I'm sick of you," King growled. "You and your entire family. A hundred thousand is hardly worth the trouble you've caused me. _Now_ _quit playing games with me, and give me that money!"_

"_Luke!"_ Bo's arm was still back.

"Just _wait!_" Luke hissed.

Darla's arms started trembling as she held the case as far as she could over the water. "You said you always knew when people were lying," she said. "Do you really think I'm lying now?"

King let out a wordless snarl in response. No, she wasn't lying; he knew it. Maybe she'd survive the jump, maybe she wouldn't, but she'd been pushed far enough she was willing to take the risk. He really was sick to death of everyone with the name of Verdes, but there was no way he was walking away from this empty-handed.

Scowling at her, he finally lowered his gun and threw it. He jerked his head at the others; all three of them frowned, but followed suit, tossing their guns in the river as well.

From the trees, Bo breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his bow. Luke let out the breath he'd been holding, but didn't take his eyes off the scene on the bridge. Cooter and Jesse were both relieved when the guns went in the water, but Jesse was still wary.

Darla straightened herself back up, wincing at the pain in her arms and shoulders. She took a deep breath; her abs hurt from leaning back. She willed her feet to move forward again. _Is it over yet?_ She wondered numbly. She approached King, and turned to give him the briefcase still clutched in her fingers.

She heard a _click_ and saw a quick flash of silver, and knew she'd made a mistake.

As Darla turned, King flicked his wrist and released the switchblade hidden in his sleeve. He grabbed her hair and yanked back, exposing her neck and almost pulling her off her feet. He heard a shout, but he ignored it. He pressed the blade to her throat; beads of blood ran down her neck as he hissed in her ear.

"Like I said, brave and resourceful," he said, "But stupid."

And then the world exploded.


	20. Winning and Losing

"_NOW!"_

The Dukes had been dealing with crooked men for too long to believe Harold King would keep his word. All of them suspected he wouldn't let Darla go. They hadn't come unprepared. As soon as Jesse saw the flash of the knife in King's hand, he shouted a warning.

Daisy and Enos jumped up from the back of Jesse's truck. They both took aim at the bridge; Enos with a scope rifle, and Daisy with her bow and one of the boys' dynamite-tipped arrows.

Enos fired one shot, into the front sedan's gas tank. Daisy's shot followed a split second later. The car erupted in a ball of flame, blowing all five of them backwards.

Cooter had whispered to Darla to trust them, but as she'd faced King to walk back to the bridge, she'd also heard, "Brace yourself for the boom." She hoped King thought her eyes widening as she approached him was due to fear and not anticipation. She saw Enos and Daisy jump up and fire their weapons; unfortunately, with King holding a switchblade to her throat, she couldn't turn away from the fireball.

She felt the searing heat of the explosion, and the world turned white. For a brief instant, she felt light as a feather. Then all the air rushed out of her lungs as she hit the ground. Stars filled her vision. She tried to take a breath, but all she could taste was fuel. It felt like the fire was still touching her. She gasped again for breath and tried to turn away from the heat, but her arms were still tied.

She forced her eyes open. Blackened pieces of metal were all around her. She was pressed up against the edge of the bridge; the small lip on it had somehow kept her from falling in the water. Vince, the closest to the car, lay unmoving; Jimmy and Freddy were moving slowly, trying to get to their feet. Suddenly she felt a hand grab her hair and drag her to her knees.

Her head was spinning as she looked up. King stood over her. His clothes were blackened and torn. He bared bloody teeth as he looked down at her. He struggled to keep his footing as he yanked her hair again. She cried out in pain as her skin pulled, tearing along the fresh scar on her forehead. The pain forced her to her feet. King stood over her and forced her head back. She thought she heard shouts, but they were muffled by the ringing in her ears. King's expression was barely human, as he poised the tip of his knife at her throat.

Suddenly, King jerked and spun, almost knocking Darla off her feet again. They both staggered to keep their footing. Then they both stared at the red stain that was slowly spreading across his chest.

Darla saw King's eyes slowly go blank as he raised his head and looked at her. He swayed, his knees buckled, and he toppled over the edge of the bridge.

But his hand was still clutching her braid.

* * *

Bo felt like he was trapped in one of those nightmares where everything was happening in slow motion; where he knew what was going to happen next, but he was moving too slow to stop it.

The fireball was bigger than any of them had anticipated. Bo watched in horror as Darla was blown back by the blast. He jumped down from the tree stand and started running for the bridge. He could see Darla moving as he hit the road, but he could also see King getting to his feet. Bo could see the knife in King's hand, could see King yank Darla to her feet. He ran faster, but he knew he'd never get there before King cut her throat.

"_NO!"_ shouted Bo.

"_ENOS!"_ Luke shouted from behind him.

Bo saw King lurch backwards as Enos's rifle found its mark. He fell backwards off the bridge, but he never let go of Darla's long braid. He saw Darla's head twist, and saw her eyes flash open in horror as she lurched backwards. He reached out for her, but he was still too far away. He thought he saw her look at him with her gold-flecked eyes, and heard her shriek as she toppled off the bridge.

"_NO!"_ Bo shouted again. He shoved his way past King's men, who were busy shoving each other as they piled into the remaining car. They took off with a screeching of tires, but Bo ignored them.

The others joined Bo and Luke on the bridge. "Uncle Jesse, call for help!" said Luke. "C'mon!" he said to the others.

* * *

The air rushed out of Darla's lungs as she hit the water. King was like a dead weight, pulling her down. She kicked out, hoping to hit him and make him let go. Suddenly she felt two strong jerks, and the weight went away. She opened her eyes, but all she could see was green. She was turning over and over; she had no idea which way was up. Her body was screaming to breathe. She hit what felt like a rock, and even more air left her. She couldn't fight the instinct any longer, and felt ice and fire in her chest as the water invaded her. Black spots mingled with the green, and everything faded.

* * *

They ran down off the bridge and along the riverbank, scanning the water, but it was nothing except a swirling mass of green. Green River looked slow on the surface, but it had a wicked undertow. If they were caught in it, they might never come up.

"How long has it been?" Luke yelled as they ran.

Enos quickly looked at his watch. "About a minute!" he called out.

They didn't have much time. They had no idea how long Darla could hold her breath, but the clock was ticking. They had to find her fast. But after a few hundred yards, Luke began to wonder if they'd find either of them.

"Two minutes!" Enos shouted.

"There!" Daisy shouted, and pointed to the skeleton of a fallen tree, lying partially submerged in the water. They could barely make out Darla's bright red hair against the green, flowing just under the surface.

"Oh, God!" said Bo. He started to run for the water, but Luke stopped him. "Hang on! You go in there, an' we'll have to pull both of ya out!" he said.

"Wait, wait!" Jesse echoed, as he ran up to them, puffing for breath and holding a rope. Luke grabbed it and tied one end to Bo's belt. "Cooter, Enos, grab this!" he said. He slid down the steep bank as Bo jumped in and waded toward Darla.

The riverbed shifted under Bo's feet as the water deepened. That and the strong current made it hard to keep his head above water; he had to work hard to avoid getting tangled in the tree as he fought the current. He reached through the water and felt for Darla's arms. He pulled, but Darla's body didn't move toward him. He pulled harder, but the resistance grew stronger.

"C'mon, Bo!" Luke shouted.

"She's caught!" Bo shouted back. He took a breath and went under, feeling along Darla's arm down to her hands. The rope binding her arms behind her was tangled in the tree branches. He quickly pulled his knife out and started sawing through them. His own lungs were burning by the time he felt the snap of the rope giving way. Darla started to slip into the current again, but Bo grabbed her and kicked hard for the surface.

"Pull him in!" Luke shouted to Cooter and Enos. As they pulled Bo toward the shore, Luke waded out into the water and grabbed for Darla; they both fought to keep their balance in the shifting mud as they pulled her to shore.

Darla was dead weight as they pulled her up on the riverbank. Bo brushed mud and hair from her face. "Darla!" he gasped. She didn't respond. Part of her face was red from the explosion; the rest was stark white. Her lips were purple, and she was absolutely still. "Oh, Darla, no, please—no no no!" Bo shouted.

Luke put a hand to her throat and pressed down hard; he felt a slight snap as her larynx adjusted. He put two fingers to her neck. "She's got a pulse, but it's weak," he said.

Bo laid an ear to her chest. "She's not breathin!" He covered her mouth with his and breathed for her. "Darla!" he cried. She still didn't react. "Darla, no!" Bo said, and breathed for her again. Still nothing. "Darla, listen to me, you've won! Now don't you go quittin' on me!" He breathed for her again, but she was just as still as she was the minute they pulled her from the river.

Bo didn't notice the others around him; he didn't hear the ambulance approaching. He leaned down and touched his forehead to hers, and closed his eyes. "Darla, please," he whispered softly. "I can't lose you. I love you. _Please_." He took a breath and breathed for her again. As he raised his head, he thought he saw her eyelids flutter.

"Darla?" Her eyelids fluttered again; her face contorted as she starting coughing. Bo and Luke both let out a breath in relief; the others all shouted. Darla took a wet breath, and coughed harder. The boys quickly turned her on her side as she coughed and retched. Bo sat back and pulled Darla into his arms as she gasped for breath. _Thank you_, he said silently. _Thank you._

* * *

Luke watched Bo pacing around the waiting room, and wondered how his cousin could possibly have any strength left after everything that had happened that day. It felt like an eternity since he'd woken up and seen Bo's empty bed, decided to take his clothes out to him, and literally run into Darla on his way out the back door.

Bo was in different clothes now—Daisy had grabbed them both dry clothes from the house before she and Uncle Jesse had joined them at the hospital—but while Luke was hunched over in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs, Bo kept moving around the waiting room, shooting glances at the emergency room doors.

"How much longer are they gonna make us wait?" he demanded.

Luke gave him a tired smile. "It's only been an hour, Bo," he said.

"Well, why won't they let us see her?" Bo demanded.

Luke and Cooter smirked at each other; they both shook their heads. Luke knew Bo meant _me,_ but let it go. "They're just makin' sure she's okay, Bo," he said. "She had a close call today."

Bo started to retort that he was perfectly aware of that, but let it go when he saw Enos come in. The deputy looked exhausted, and older than the Dukes had ever seen him.

"Enos?" said Jesse.

"What is it?" asked Daisy.

Enos sighed. "King's men are sittin' down in the jail cells, waitin' on the FBI to come get 'em from Atlanta," he said. "When they saw King go in the water, they took off in the other car, but Rosco an' Boss chased 'em down. Them an' Sheriff Floyd boxed 'em in at the county line."

"Hey, what happened to Sid, anyway? He wasn't there," said Luke.

Enos smirked a little. "Oh, he was there…in the trunk," he said.

They all looked shocked at that. "Alive?" asked Cooter.

"More or less," said Enos. "I guess he really got banged up when the paddy wagon rolled over; he was in pretty bad shape. The FBI's takin' him to a prison hospital in Atlanta."

"Well, that's still better than what he deserves," said Bo. "What about King?"

Enos's face grew even more troubled. He stared blankly at the floor for a moment. "They found him washed up about six miles downriver," he finally said in a controlled voice.

Luke and Jesse exchanged a look as Enos walked over toward the water cooler. Luke got up and followed him. "Enos," he said softly. Enos didn't turn; he just stared blankly at the wall. "Enos, you did the right thing," said Luke. "It was a clean shot; if you hadn't taken it, King would have killed her." He put a hand on Enos's shoulder. "You did what you had to. I know that doesn't make what you did any easier to deal with," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Believe me, _I know._"

Enos looked at Luke then, and saw a shadow of the sergeant that had come home from Vietnam so many years ago. He sighed and nodded. "Thanks, Luke," he said.

"I'm sorry, Enos," said Luke. "I never shoulda put you in that position, I—"

"Yes, you should've," said Enos. "I'm a deputy; I'm an officer o' the law. I shot to protect an innocent victim. If you'd done it, you'd be goin' ta jail now. I just have to answer some tough questions," he said with a slight smile.

Bo and Daisy joined them. "I'm real sorry about what ya had to do, Enos," said Bo, putting a hand on the deputy's shoulder. "But she's alive because of you. So, thank you." Enos gave Bo a tired smile, as Daisy came up and hugged him.

"Is the Duke family here?" a voice said.

They all turned; a young doctor in scrubs had come through the emergency doors.

"That'd be us, Doc," said Jesse.

"You're here for Dayanira?"

"Darla," said Bo. "How is she? Is she okay?" he asked.

"We'll talk about that; first of all, does she have any family we should notify?"

They all exchanged looks. "What family she's got, is in Kentucky, Doc," said Luke. "Right now, we're the closest thing she's got."

The doctor raised his eyebrows at that, but let it go. She'd given him permission to talk to the Dukes, so… "Well, we're moving her to a room in the ICU for observation—"

"Intensive Care? Why? What for? What's wrong with her?" Bo demanded, sounding panicky.

"Bo," Luke and Jesse spoke at the same time.

"Ah, you're Bo," said the doctor, smiling slightly. "She was asking for you."

Bo's face lit up a little at that; if she was asking for him, it couldn't be too bad. "So can I see her?" he asked.

"In a minute, yes. But let's go over what happened, first. Most of her injuries are fairly superficial. She's got quite a few cuts and bruises from being tossed around in the water. The burns on her face are mostly first-degree; she'll feel like she's been sunburned for a few days. And it looks like she was struck in the face a few times."

"Yeah, well, the guys that took her weren't exactly saints, doc," said Luke.

The doctor nodded again. "Our main worry right now is her lungs," he went on. "She held out for a while in the river, but she still took water into her lungs after she lost consciousness."

"How much?" asked Jesse.

"How much isn't the problem; it's the water itself," the doctor answered. "You know why they call it Green River; the algae count in that water is astronomical. Breathing in any of it can contaminate the lung tissue; infection and pneumonia are a very big concern now. She's already running a low-grade fever."

Bo looked even more upset. "She'll be all right, won't she?" he asked nervously.

"I believe so, but for now, we'll have to wait and see," the doctor said. "I'm going to get her started on intravenous antibiotics, and we'll keep her here until her fever breaks."

"Can we see her now, please?" Bo asked.

The pleading in his tone wasn't lost on the doctor; he smiled a little. "Those of you that are Dukes can come back, but just one of you can go in her room for now. I assume that's you?" he said, nodding at Bo. As they walked back, the doctor went on. "Her lungs needed a break from all the coughing, so we have her sedated right now. She'll be very sleepy, and she may have a hard time understanding everything that's going on. Don't let her talk for too long; it'll aggravate her lungs more, and she needs to rest." He gestured to a door on their right.

Darla was laying back, her eyes closed. An oxygen mask covered her nose and mouth. Several IVs were hanging on hooks, feeding into one line taped into her arm. A fresh bandage covered the newly opened scar on her forehead. The bruise Sid had given her across her right cheek was dark in contrast to her pale skin, which looked even paler in the fluorescent light over her bed. Her left cheek and forehead were an angry red from the explosion.

Bo had seen Luke and Uncle Jesse in the hospital before, but it didn't prepare him for this. He felt like someone had kicked him. He fought to hold tears back as he approached her. She looked tiny; he was always amazed at her strength in spite of her size, but now she looked incredibly frail. He sat down in the chair next to her; someone had let the braid out of her hair, and it fell in messy, matted waves. He gently moved a few strands away from her face.

At his touch, Darla stirred. He heard her breathe deeply. "Hey," he whispered, taking her hand. "It's me, Darla; it's Bo. Open your eyes, darlin'."

She turned her head toward him. Very slowly, her eyes blinked open. "Bo," she sighed. Her voice was muffled by the mask.

"Hey there," said Bo in a shaky voice. He had to swallow back tears again as her dark hazel eyes focused on him. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently, and gave her a weak smile when he felt her squeeze his hand. He bent over and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry for what I said to you this morning. I was a jerk." He felt tears spill over, and quickly sat up to brush his hand across his eyes. "I didn't think I'd get to say that to you," he said.

Darla gave him a sleepy smile through the mask. "Do you always try to make up for being a jerk by blowing things up?" she asked.

Bo let out a shaky laugh. "Hey, that wasn't me," he said. "Daisy fired that shot." His smile fell a little. "We weren't about to let those guys get away," he said, growing serious. "Not after everything they did to you."

Darla's eyes widened a little. "King—what—what happened?" she asked. Her breathing quickened; she tried to sit up.

"Shh, shh, it's okay, just lie down; it's all right," said Bo. His eyes met hers as he said, "You don't have to worry about him anymore." He shook his head slightly. "King—he didn't make it outta the river."

Darla stared at him. "You shot him," she whispered.

Bo shook his head again. "Enos did," he said. "Enos an' Rosco were out there with us, too. Enos shot to save you; Rosco got the others. They're all in jail; they're not gonna hurt you again." He gently stroked her cheek as he looked down at her. "It's over," he whispered.

Darla looked up at the ceiling. Her eyes overflowed with tears. "Shh, c'mere," said Bo. He sat on the bed next to her and pulled her into his arms; for the second time in three days, he held her close, stroked her hair and fought back tears of his own while she cried hers. "Shh, darlin', it's okay now, it's over, it's all over," he whispered.

After a few minutes, Darla's crying turned into coughing. She sat up and fought against the reflex, while Bo watched her anxiously. She took several deep breaths and lay back again. "The others?" she rasped.

"They're here," said Bo. "Hey, y'all out there?" he said over his shoulder.

"'Course we are!" said Daisy, coming in with Luke and Jesse behind her. "How you doin', sugar?" she asked.

"Alive, thanks to all of you," said Darla, coughing again. "You guys are good shots with the bows and arrows; I don't think they were expecting that."

"Well, we Dukes can be full o' surprises," said Jesse, smiling at her.

"That was a gutsy move you made, making them guys throw away their guns," said Luke.

"Was trying to buy you time," Darla rasped softly. "Didn't—want to see you—give up the money."

"Oh, it wasn't ours," said Bo. "We, uh—kinda convinced Bogg Hogg to loan it to us."

"Yeah, an' he's probably back in his office counting it all," said Luke. All the Dukes grinned at that.

Darla smiled; her eyelids started to droop. "I think we should let Darla get some rest, now," said Jesse.

"You hang in there; we'll be back soon," said Luke.

"I'll bring you some of those peanut butter an' jelly pancakes tomorrow, okay?" said Daisy, smiling. "I hear the food here's terrible."

The others started for the door. "Bo?" said Luke, looking back.

Bo looked at Darla. She shook her head slightly. He looked back at Luke. "Um, I'm—I'm gonna—"

Luke smirked and tossed the General's keys at him. "I'll see you for chores in the morning," he said, and followed Daisy and Jesse out the door.

Darla was pulling the covers closer to her as he turned back around. "You all right?" he asked.

"I'm cold," she said.

Bo frowned and looked around for another blanket, but there didn't seem to be any. "Well, here's hopin' one of the nurses don't come in," he said, grinning a little. "Scoot over."

Darla couldn't help but laugh a little, as Bo swung his legs up on the bed and lay down next to her. "You don't mind, do ya?" asked Bo. Darla shook her head, smiling as Bo curled his body around hers.

Bo could feel exhaustion starting to set in. This had to have been the longest day of his life. Had it only been two days since the Hazzard Centennial? Had it only been last night they'd laid in each others' arms in the barn loft? Had it only been a day, since he realized he'd fallen in love?

"I'm sorry," Darla whispered.

Bo frowned. "Sorry for what?"

"Decking you, for starters," she said.

Bo grinned and rubbed the mark on his jaw. "I'd hate to see your right hook," he said. "But, I deserved it. I was bein' a jerk."

"I think you made up for it; saving my life and all," said Darla. Her speech began to slur, as she fought the sedation. "And…I'm sorry for what I said."

Bo shook his head. "No, Darla, don't be sorry for that. I deserved that, too. I just felt so hurt, when you said you were leavin'. It's just—after everything that's happened, I—Darla, I—"

_I love you._ The words were right there on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't say them. "I don't want you to go," he finally said.

"I know," Darla whispered. Her eyes were still closed.

"Would it help if I begged you to stay?" Bo asked.

He could see tears in her eyes again as she looked up at him. She buried her head in his shoulder; he put his arms around her and pulled her closer. He knew the answer; it wouldn't help. They both wanted what they couldn't have. Bo remembered Darla's words from that morning. _What would you give up, what would you sacrifice, for the name of Duke?_ He would do anything, even sacrifice his own happiness, if it would save his family. Now it looked like Darla was going to have to do the same. They laid together without speaking, taking what they could from the moment.


	21. Losing and Winning

The Dukes watched as Darla loaded Treasure into his blue trailer. The tall stallion looked at Darla as she fastened his rope; then he looked behind him, looking for Netty to come join him.

"Sorry, boy," said Darla, "But Netty and Frisk are staying here for a while." She shut the trailer gate, and heaved a sigh as she looked at them.

They all smiled back at her. She still looked a little worse for wear; after several days, the bruises on her cheek were fading, and the scar on her forehead was healing, but the skin on the left side of her face was still red and peeling. She'd joked about that, saying no one would doubt she'd gotten sunburned, with her pale skin and red hair.

She smiled sadly at the four of them. "I'll never, ever be able to thank you for all that you've done for me," she said. "I'm truly going to miss all of you."

She came to Luke first. He hugged her and whispered, "We're sure gonna miss you, hon."

Darla sniffed a little as she hugged him back. "You'll keep doing your job?" she asked.

He pulled back and looked at her. "What's that?"

She nodded her head in the others' direction. "Looking after them," she said.

Luke smiled and nodded. "You bet I will," he said and hugged her again.

As she came to Daisy, Darla said, "You know, Daisy, you're about the closest thing to a sister I've ever had."

"Oh, Darla, thank you!" said Daisy. She blinked rapidly as they embraced. "I'm gonna miss you so much," she said. "It's gonna feel strange, bein' the only girl in the house again!"

Daisy laughed a little at that, as she came to Jesse. "Thank you so much, Un—I mean, Jesse," she said.

Jesse smiled back at her. "Uncle Jesse's just fine," he said. He sighed as he hugged her. He knew this wasn't only going to be hard on his youngest nephew; Darla was going to have a hard time saying goodbye, too. "Now, don't you go forgettin' about the two horses ya got here," he said.

"I won't," said Darla. "You're sure you don't mind them staying here?"

"O' course not!" said Jesse. "It's been quite a while since we've had a baby horse here to work with. An' we'll get that little frisky fella well-gentled for ya."

"I think 'Frisk' is going to be a good name for him," said Darla. "And you know I'll pay for anything they need."

"Now, ya don't need ta worry about that," said Jesse.

"Yes, I do; that's the very least I can do," said Darla. "Abuelito really would have liked you, Uncle Jesse. You're a lot like him."

"If he had any of your spirit, I'da been proud to know him," said Jesse.

Then, she came to Bo. He didn't say anything; he gave her a slight smile and extended his hand to her. She took it and started walking for her rig.

They didn't speak; the silence felt heavy between them. Aside from the dread of leaving, both Bo and Darla also felt emotionally drained. The week since the river had been alternately joyous, heart-wrenching, and awkward. Bo had gone with her to Capitol City to identify Bernardo's body, after the State Patrol had found it dumped down a well by the Silver Mine cabin. She was surprised by the grief she felt; she couldn't feel much love for the man, but he was the only connection to immediate family that she had, and the last to carry the name of Verdes. Bo had held her for quite a while at the coroner's building.

They'd all been questioned relentlessly by the State Police and the FBI about Harold King and his men, and the showdown at Green River. Their only saving grace there, was that one of the FBI agents was Agent Waldon, who'd convinced Bo and Luke to help take down J.J. Carver. Waldon hadn't forgotten the Dukes, and was inclined to believe their story. The FBI thanked and rewarded the Dukes—again—for helping to take down another gangster. They gave most of the reward money to the orphanage, but Bo kept some of it back; there was one thing he wanted to do.

They'd worked with Netty's foal together, getting him accustomed to humans and being touched. He warmed to Bo quickly, and Darla let him take the lead in haltering him. Bo towered over him when they walked together, which frightened the little colt a bit, but Bo was patient and spoke softly to him, and Frisk learned to trust him.

Through all of it, Bo saw glimpses of the bright smile, and the laughter in Darla's gold-flecked eyes, that had kept him so enamored with her. Every time he looked at her, he'd felt his heart swell, and then ache, when he remembered their time together was running out. And now it was gone.

"I, uh…I got somethin' for ya," said Bo. "Sorry, I didn't get to wrap it, but…" He handed her something rolled in tissue paper.

"What is it?" Darla asked, and rolled something gold into her hand. Her eyes widened a little. "Bo, it's…it's beautiful," she smiled.

It was a gold charm bracelet, with several gold and silver medallions hanging from it. As she looked at them, she realized she knew every figure on them. "These are saints," she said. She looked up at him. "How did you know which ones to pick?"

"Oh, I had help," said Bo, as he helped her fasten it on her wrist. "You remember meetin' Billy Joe Fong at the Centennial Dance? He and his daughter ain't just the only Orientals in Hazzard; they're also the only Catholics. He told me about a store in Capitol City that did this."

Darla studied the first medallion on the chain. "Saint Mary," she said, nodding. "Saint James—the patron saint of Spain, very good. Saint Patrick of Ireland…Saint Anne, the patron saint of horse riders…" her smile grew wider as she looked at the next one. "Saint Sarah—the patron saint of the _gitanos_. I'm surprised they had that one." She looked at the last two. "Saint Joseph—the patron saint of families. And—" She swallowed at the last one. "Saint Valentine." She looked up at Bo again. "Thank you," she whispered.

For a moment, they just looked at each other. Bo felt like his heart was being torn apart. He wanted to beg her not to leave, wanted to tell her that he loved her more than anything, that it was killing him to let her go like this, that he was never going to be the same without her.

Darla wanted to tell him that she'd never been in love in her life until now, that she was never going to want anyone else as long as she lived, that she was scared to death to take one step off this farm, away from this place, without him. She'd never wanted to be in charge of Treasure Green; now it felt like a death sentence waiting for her. She wanted to tell him that all she wanted was to stay where her heart was telling her she belonged.

But in the end, all they did was embrace one last time. Bo had to swallow hard; he was not going to show tears to her. He took her face in his hands and touched his forehead to hers. He couldn't kiss her; he knew he'd break down if he did. He stepped back, let out a shaky breath, and let her go.

She climbed miserably up into the rig, started it and pulled out of the yard. Bo felt an awful ache rip through his chest as the blue rig and trailer faded out of sight. She was gone. He knew then, that his heart had left with her.

* * *

"Bo, this is your favorite, ain't ya gonna eat a little bit?" Daisy said pleadingly.

Bo just stared at his plate; he knew Daisy was trying everything to get him to eat, but he just didn't have an appetite. "I'm sorry, Daisy," he mumbled. "I'm gonna go see to Frisk," he said, and got up.

"Ain't ya gonna stay and watch the race?" asked Jesse. Darla and Treasure had won their preliminary heat the day before, and were due to run in the Atlanta Stakes. Bo didn't answer; he just shuffled out the kitchen door.

Jesse said, "He's been seein' to that colt every ten minutes for a week now."

"He's been spendin' most of his nights out there, as far as I know," said Luke, looking after him.

"Uncle Jesse, what are we gonna do?" said Daisy.

Jesse shook his head. "There's not much we can do, 'cept be there for Bo when he's ready to talk. We'll get him through this."

"I'm just so worried about him," said Daisy.

Luke was too, although he hadn't said as much. Since Darla left, it had been as though a cloud was hanging over Bo. Almost nothing could make him smile. He barely ate anything; he may have been spending his nights in the barn, but Luke could see the shadows under his eyes. He spent most of his time in the barn, working with Frisk and doing any other chores he could find. Luke knew what he was doing; it was the same thing he'd done when he came home from the war. He was finding ways to stay busy, trying to keep the pain of his loss at bay.

He knew Bo had dealt with more than one broken heart, but this was different. He wasn't acting like Darla had left; it was more like she had died. Bo was functioning, going through the motions, but the look in his eyes…Luke had seen more than one man in Vietnam with that look. It was the look of someone who'd withdrawn into himself, who'd let everything go numb, in order to deal with the pain. It killed him to see that look haunting his cousin's face. It killed him even more to know he could do nothing about it. He remembered the conversation he'd had with his cousin the day before.

"_C'mon, Frisk. C'mon, little man, you can do it," Bo said gently. The tiny seal colt looked after his mother, being led out to the pasture by Luke. Then he looked down at the step at the entrance to the stall. That step was his nemesis; he'd tripped over it every time he left the stall. He let out a little whinny, but Netty kept walking. _

"_You'll have to lift your feet. Everybody does it," said Bo. He knelt in front of the foal and lifted one tiny hoof over the step for him. Frisk spent a second steadying himself; cautiously, he placed his other front hoof alongside the first one. He took a few more halting steps; once he had all four long legs in the aisle, he took off after his mother. Bo and Luke watched the little colt, almost the image of his sire, take in his surroundings. He swept under Netty's belly to nurse, while she lowered her head to graze._

_Bo smiled a little as Luke closed the pasture gate. "He's still figurin' out how to make those long legs of his work," said Bo. _

"_I seem to remember you had the same problem, when you shot up six inches in a year," said Luke, grinning. "Give him a month and this pasture will be too small for him. He'll be ready to race around, just like his Daddy."_

_Bo's face fell slightly; Luke noticed the shadow that crossed his face. "You know," he said, trying to lighten the mood, "maybe we should go to Atlanta tomorrow for the stakes race. Daisy'd love to dress up for a day at the track, it'd be fun."_

_Bo didn't answer, but grabbed a pitchfork and headed to Netty's stall. _

"_Listen, Bo," said Luke, following him, "Maybe…maybe you should go talk to her. I can't believe she's doin' any better than you are. Go after her; maybe she'll change her mind, maybe you can work somethin' out." He knew it sounded weak, but he couldn't stand to see Bo like this._

_Bo started working on Netty's stall. "Some things are just better left unsaid, Luke," he mumbled._

"_Whaddya mean?" Luke asked. _

_Bo didn't answer. It suddenly dawned on Luke what his cousin meant. He stared at Bo in disbelief. "You never told her," he said._

"_What?"_

"_That you love her."_

_Bo leaned on the pitchfork for a minute and closed his eyes. "I couldn't do it," he whispered. "I just…" he shook his head._

"_Bo…I don't understand," said Luke. "I know you; I know you've never felt this way about someone before. Why wouldn't you tell her how you feel? Why are you letting her go?"_

_Bo leaned back against the wall and sighed. He stared at the ceiling as he said, "She has to go back to Kentucky, Luke. You know that. Even without Harold King and Bernardo on her tail, she's not free. She's still got a farm to run." He looked over at his cousin. "You heard what she asked me that day; what would I give up, what would I sacrifice, for the name of Duke? I know what she means. If it was me that had her choice…I'd be doin' what she's doin'. Runnin' Treasure Green ain't the life she wants, but it's what she has to do now. I can't ask her to turn her back on that. I wouldn't."_

"_Then go with her," Luke said softly. "You belong with her, Bo; go with her if that's what it takes."_

"_I couldn't do that, either," said Bo. He'd turned that scenario over in his head about a hundred times since Darla left, and kept coming up with the same conclusion. "We gave Uncle Jesse our word when we came home from the NASCAR circuit that we wouldn't leave again. I couldn't, anyway. I loved it out there, but I missed Hazzard just as much, if not more. An' I wouldn't be drivin' if I went with her. Eventually…I think I'd leave. What would that do to her? What would it do to me?"_

"_But Bo—"_

"_Just drop it, Luke, okay?" said Bo. It sounded like he meant to snap the words at him, but they just came out sounding tired. "She can't stay, and I can't go. That's just the way it is." He started stabbing at the straw again. _

_Luke watched him for a minute. "All right," he finally said softly. "But just because you didn't say it, doesn't mean it ain't true."_

* * *

Luke was snapped out of his reverie by the sudden increase in volume of the TV. "Luke! Luke, come in here, quick!" Daisy shouted.

Luke headed for the living room. _"…the biggest story of the day, and maybe of the racing year—the finding of a lost Treasure,"_ the reporter was saying. The TV showed Treasure, jogging on the track. Darla, with her long red braid, was instantly recognizable on his back.

"_It's a tale of heartbreak and triumph. Sunken Treasure, the last remaining heir of the Verdes bloodline, winner of the Sanford and Hopeful Stakes, was considered one of the best colts to hit the track in years."_ The TV showed video of Treasure flying past his competitors under the finish wire._ "He started his three-year-old season with equal flair; after winning both the Wood Memorial and the Blue Grass Stakes, many wondered if he had what it took to become the first Triple Crown winner with Spanish heritage._

"_Then, just before the Kentucky Derby, a terrible tragedy." _The TV flashed video of the smoking ruins of a barn, surrounded by emergency vehicles. _"A fire destroyed a main barn on Treasure Green Farm. Many lives were lost, both of horses, and of family."_ Pictures of two dark-haired men, one older, one younger, and a flame-haired women flashed on the screen. _"Zacarias Verdes, his wife Catherine, and their son, Jonas, all perished in the flames. The family's only survivor—their daughter, and Sunken Treasure's jockey, Dayanira."_ They showed pictures of Darla, wearing one of her debutante ball gowns.

"_It was later determined by authorities that the fire was the work of an arsonist. But before anyone could be charged with the crime, Dayanira and Sunken Treasure vanished without a trace. Many believed she feared for her life, and her family's legacy. We have unconfirmed reports that Dayanira was still racing Treasure, under the alias 'Under the Radar' at some of the smaller racetracks in Florida. If that's true, then Treasure has continued his winning ways; Under the Radar is credited with half a dozen wins for the last racing season._

"_We also have unconfirmed reports that Dayanira's estranged uncle, Bernardo Verdes, may have been involved in the arson attack, due to his involvement with a New York Crime Syndicate. __According to Kentucky State Police, Bernardo disappeared several several weeks ago and is listed as wanted by the authorities."_

"_Finally, after nearly twelve months, Dayanira and Sunken Treasure have re-surfaced. Dayanira has refused to discuss the details of her disappearance; she has said only that it was time to return to the racing world."_

The Dukes shouted as the camera cut to Darla and Treasure circling in the paddock near the track. "There she is!" Daisy squealed.

"_And there they are,"_ said the announcer._ "Sunken Treasure, back in the spotlight after a year of sitting on the sidelines. And astride him, Dayanira Verdes, the daughter of the very family that bred this great horse."_

The Dukes weren't the only ones who noticed the pair; everyone around the paddock was clapping and pointing, and reporters were firing a non-stop stream of questions at her. Darla ignored them; her expression was serious as her lead pony and rider led Treasure out of the paddock and onto the racecourse.

"_You gotta be wonderin' what's going through Pat Day's mind right now, up on Forty-Niner," _said the color announcer. _"He was expecting an easy race, and now he has Sunken Treasure thrown into the mix. Not to mention Dayanira and her riding style."_

"_Well, I wouldn't call it 'style,' Mike," _said the announcer—which got an indignant "Hey!" from Daisy and Luke—"_Dayanira's ridden several Treasure Green mounts, but she was only intended to ride one horse, and that's Sunken Treasure. She doesn't ride with style; she rides to win. But, her late father Zacarius once said that nobody could get Treasure to work harder than she could. If there's a win in Sunken Treasure today, it'll be Dayanira who gets him there."_

"That's right, and you bet there's a win in them today!" said Daisy.

"She said she's never beaten Pat Day before," said Luke.

"Well, there's a first time for everything!" Daisy fired back.

The horses came to the gate. Sunken Treasure went in the eighth stall, and waited while four more horses went in behind him.

"_And they're off! And—oh, no!"_ the announcer yelled. Daisy gasped. _"Sunken Treasure and Hawkster bumped coming out of the gate! Hawkster stumbled badly; he's now bringing up the rear, and Verdes nearly lost her seat on Sunken Treasure! She's still trying to gain her right stirrup! Now she's back on; that could have been a very bad fall! Sunken Treasure is caught up in the pack, while Forty-Niner is in the lead."_

"Oh, no!" they all said.

"_Here they come past the grandstand for the first time, and Forty-Niner has a commanding lead. Risen Star is in second, Private Terms third, Bet Twice fourth, Regal Classic fifth, Kingpost sixth, Sunken Treasure is seventh…"_

"Oh, no, he's never gonna get himself out of that mess!" Daisy said in despair. "He's got nowhere to go!"

"She's holdin' him back," said a voice from behind them. They all turned and saw Bo standing in the kitchen doorway, intently watching the screen. "She can't get loose from the pack now, she's savin' him."

"_As they head into the first turn, Pat Day has Forty-Niner well into the lead…"_

It was true; Treasure's head was pulled in. They watched as Treasure and Darla struggled down the backstretch, with other horses packed all around them. Darla was completely surrounded, her hands close to her sides, trying to keep Treasure from bumping another horse. Suddenly, the horse to her right started dropping back.

"_And they're in the backstretch, Forty-Niner still in the lead, Private Terms is second, Risen Star has dropped back to third, Bet Twice fourth—and here comes Sunken Treasure!"_

A roar rose from the stands. Darla had seen the opening; before anyone could close the gap, she pushed Treasure into it. Her hands were raised; the stallion lowered his head, his stride lengthened, and he was flying.

"_Sunken Treasure's making his move in the final turn, it's Forty-Niner, followed by Private Terms and Risen Star—Sunken Treasure's overtaken Bet Twice, he's now in fourth—and down the stretch they come!_"

"Oh, come on Darla, come on!" Daisy shouted. Luke and Uncle Jesse were shouting encouragement at the screen, too. Bo was quiet, but his eyes followed every move of the seal horse and his rider.

"_Sunken Treasure, flying down the homestretch, Forty-Niner still in the lead, Private Terms is second, Risen Star and Sunken Treasure now neck-and-neck! Private Terms is flagging; can Sunken Treasure catch him? Here he comes! Sunken Treasure making a huge move, to win again for Treasure Green! He's now in second! And it's Forty-Niner and Sunken Treasure, with one furlong to go! It's Forty-Niner and Sunken Treasure, neck and neck—"_

Darla and Pat Day were fanning their crops alongside their mounts as they pounded to the finish line. The crowd noise grew louder, but it was still drowned out by the Dukes. Darla raised her hands further; they saw Treasure surge forward one last time—

"_And Sunken Treasure pulls ahead! It's Sunken Treasure! Sunken Treasure wins!"_

Daisy screamed and threw her arms around Luke. They saw Darla stand in the stirrups and pump her fist in the air.

"_And Treasure Green Farm is back in the winnings! Dayanira Verdes brings home a win for her family in the Atlanta Stakes! It's Sunken Treasure, with Forty-Niner second, Private Terms in third…"_

They saw Pat Day jog Forty-Niner alongside Darla and say something to her; she threw her head back and laughed, like she had so many times with them. She raised her crop to the grandstands again.

Daisy and Luke were still cheering as they led Sunken Treasure to the winners' circle. Darla's smile stretched from ear to ear as the stewards laid a blanket of yellow flowers over Treasure's neck. Reporters surged around her as she hopped down from Treasure's back. "Miss Verdes!" one reporter yelled as he crowded next to her. Treasure promptly threw his head back and tried to rear. Everybody scrambled as the big horse tried to give himself some space.

"If you wanna talk to me, you can, but you might want to get a lady to interview him," said Darla. Everyone laughed appreciatively.

"Miss Verdes, congratulations!" the reporter went on. "Ordinarily we'd be congratulating the owner too, but I guess that also applies to you!"

"That's right," said Darla, "He's a Verdes stallion, born and bred! I know my family would be proud of him today, if they were here."

"You really got off to a rough start, did you think then the race was over?"

"Not a chance," said Darla. "I had a mile and a quarter to make up for lost ground. I just sat back and stayed with the pack, and as soon as I could make a move, I made it. Treasure did all the rest."

"We saw Pat Day come alongside you after the finish; what did he have to say?"

Darla laughed. "He said, 'I was wondering when I was finally gonna see your tail end!'" Everyone laughed again, including the Dukes.

"Well, Dayanira, it's been a long ride for you to get yourself and your family back to the winners' circle. What can you tell us about where you've been all this time?"

Darla sighed. "Not a thing. The authorities have asked me not to say anything yet, what with all of the investigations going on, and, well…there are a lot of people who went out of their way to help me while I was gone, and I don't want you all hounding them," she finished with a smile.

"So, what's next for you? There are a lot of races left before the Breeders' Cup; will Sunken Treasure be there?"

"I think…we'll have to wait and see," Darla said slowly. "I, uh…have a little different outlook on life now. I think Sunken Treasure will continue his career, but he may have to learn to put up with a male rider. I've got a farm to run." She sighed heavily at the end.

"Well, thank you, Miss Verdes, and congratulations again!" The reporter went on to talk to the camera, and other reporters crowded around Darla, blocking her from view. The camera quickly cut away.

"I knew she'd do it, I knew it!" Daisy exclaimed, bouncing in her seat; Luke and Jesse laughed. Luke turned around; his smile quickly faded when he realized Bo was gone. He looked out the window and saw him heading back to the barn, his head down. Luke sighed; maybe seeing Darla again, even on TV, was too much for him.

_**Now don't worry-this story ain't over yet. I'll switch the status to 'complete' when it is. But Bo's made it pretty clear that he's not going to go after Darla. So how does this work out? Give me some reviews so we can all find out!**_


	22. Pain and Resolution

Daisy kept picking at her dinner plate, looking at the empty chair where Bo usually sat. He hadn't come in from the barn, even though Luke and Jesse both had tried to persuade him.

"Daisy," Jesse murmured, "Let it go. Bo's got a lot to work through; yer just gonna have to give him some time."

Daisy didn't answer; she just looked out the window. Luke started gathering up plates to put them in the sink. He quickly scraped his into the trash before Daisy caught him; he hadn't been very hungry either.

Jesse watched the two of them. He, too, was genuinely worried about Bo. His youngest nephew seemed to go with a different girl every week, so it had surprised him a little when Bo stayed so enamored with Darla. The way he looked at her was not lost on his uncle; people told him he'd often looked that way at Livinia. Bo had truly lost his heart to that little gal, and now that little gal was going to be two states away. And that meant that Bo's heart was gone, too. He didn't know what he could do, but he knew his nephew had a lot of heartbreak to deal with.

Luke sat back down at the table. For a moment, none of them said anything. "Uncle Jesse," Daisy finally said softly, "Isn't there anything we can do? I ain't never seen him like this, I just—" she choked up; she couldn't finish.

Luke put an arm around her and sighed. "What do you do when you find The One, and she leaves?" he said. No one answered; none of them had an answer for that.

* * *

Bo swirled the bottle he was holding, and watched the rum spin in the bottom. His head was spinning almost as much. He'd crawled up in the barn loft after watching Darla race; he'd barely said a word while they were watching, but his heart had leaped into his throat when she was nearly unseated. He'd wanted to let loose with a yell when she crossed the finish line, but he'd been so relieved just to know she was all right, it had taken the breath out of him.

When she got to the winners' circle, seeing her smile light up her face had nearly brought tears to his eyes. Even covered in dirt from the track, she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Hearing her voice and her laughter again was almost torture. And, as she'd adjusted her sleeve, he'd seen the glimmer of gold on her wrist. She was still wearing the bracelet he'd given her. He didn't know why that had hit him so hard, but after seeing it, he couldn't stand to watch any more.

He looked around; maybe coming up to the loft hadn't been the best choice. Remembering what had happened up there…Bo felt a lump in his throat, and took another swig to push it back down. He was grateful to find Darla had left her bottle of bootlegged rum in the loft; it gave him a way to drown his sorrows. He was running out of ways to hold his pain in check. He'd pushed himself to the limit with work, refusing to give himself a moment's rest, to keep his mind occupied. It was like he'd built a dam around the pain, to hold it in where he couldn't feel it. But he was running out of extra chores to do, and he was afraid that once he had time to think, that pain lurking in his heart would overwhelm him.

He heard gravel crunch as someone walked through the yard. Bo sighed; _here comes Big Brother Luke to check up on me again,_ he thought. The lights switched on below him. He heard footsteps stop at Netty's stall, then find their way over to the ladder to the loft.

"Go 'way, Luke," Bo slurred. "I told ya 'fore, I'm not—" He stopped and listened. It sounded like there were two sets of footsteps moving through the loft. He whipped his head around, and immediately wished he hadn't.

Daisy stood there, partially illuminated by the barn lights. Luke stood just behind her. Bo's head spun even harder; he wasn't entirely sure how many cousins were standing there.

"Bo?" Daisy said softly. "Won't ya come inside, please? It's the middle of the night; you shouldn't be out here."

"I'm fine," Bo said sullenly, looking back out the window.

"You're anything but fine," said Luke. He walked over and knelt down in front of Bo. "How much of this have you had?" he asked quietly, nodding at the bottle.

"Not nearly enough," Bo snapped.

Luke sighed. "This ain't gonna help, cuz," he said gently, and tried to take the bottle from Bo's hand.

"Dang it, Luke, cut it out!" Bo yelled, and tried to yank it back.

Luke tightened his grip. "C'mon, Bo—"

"_Quit it! And give it back!" _Bo shouted. He stood up and jerked the bottle out of Luke's hands with drunken strength. Luke was caught off balance; as he let go, Bo jerked backwards. He sprawled; there was a sound of shattering glass as he hit the floor.

Bo looked down, and realized the bottle had broken. He was left holding only the bottleneck, and his clothes were soaked in rum. "Oh, that's just _great!"_ Bo said sarcastically, and threw the bottleneck at Luke. Fortunately, he was drunk enough that his aim was off, and Luke easily ducked it.

Bo staggered back and hit the wall, breathing hard. His head kept spinning. _How does she drink that stuff?_ He slid down the wall and rested his head on his knee. He suddenly realized he was sitting almost where Darla had been, the night he'd found her hiding up here. The lump in his throat rose again, and this time he had nothing to wash it back down. He felt tears threaten again, and he couldn't stop them; the dam was full to overflowing.

He felt gentle hands on his arm. "Bo?" Daisy said softly. She was trying to help, he knew that, but it wasn't her voice, or her touch, that he so desperately missed. It was Darla's. And she was gone.

_Gone._ The emptiness of the word seemed to echo through him. He started shaking; the dam was cracking.

"Oh, _Bo,"_ said Daisy. He felt her arms around him, and he started to shake even harder. Then he felt Luke's strong arms around them both, and the dam broke. He let out a breath that came out as a sob, and he couldn't stop it. Pain tore through his heart, and pulled his cries with it. He clutched at Daisy and Luke. They sat there in the dark, holding each other, while Bo's body shook with suppressed sobs.

Daisy shed a few tears with him; it broke her heart to see Bo so devastated. She wanted to hate Darla for leaving him like this, but she couldn't. Deep down, Daisy knew Darla had no choice in leaving. The Dukes understood what it meant, to do what you had to for family, and Darla was no different. But that didn't make Bo's grief any easier to see.

Luke had to fight back a few tears of his own. He remembered another time they'd cried together like this, right after he'd come home from the Marines. Like many soldiers, he'd had a hard time adjusting from life in the jungle, but Daisy and Bo couldn't understand what he was going through. It had been an exhausting time that put all of them through an emotional wringer. It had been Bo and Daisy who'd found him up here at the bottom of a bottle, and who had held him while he'd finally let go of everything he'd lost in Vietnam. Come to think of it, Bo and Luke had come up here looking for Daisy once, after she'd almost married that loser of a nephew of Boss's that turned out to be a crook, and they'd sat here with her while she let go.

Now, they sat with their youngest cousin, while he let go. They rocked Bo back and forth a little, while he held on to them.

* * *

"How is he?" asked Jesse, as Luke came out of their room.

"He's asleep," Luke sighed. He sat down on the couch and put his head in his hands.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Jesse asked.

Luke knew what he meant. "Ya mean the rum?" Jesse nodded. "Well, he'll probably have a heckuva headache in the mornin'." He rested his chin on his hands and closed his eyes. "Uncle Jesse…this is killin' him," he whispered.

Jesse came and sat next to him. "I know," he said, putting an arm around Luke. "An' I know you want nothin' more than to make it better for him. You've always looked out for Bo an' Daisy that way. But Bo needs to grieve right now. He's got a lot o' heartache ta deal with. An' you an' Daisy are already doin' all ya can for him, by jus' bein' there for him. There's nothin' more ya can do."

Jesse looked at his nephew. He was staring at the floor, his jaw set. "Yes, there is," he said.

Jesse knew that look; it was the one Luke always got when he was turning a plan over in his mind. "Luke, what're you thinkin'?"

"What do you do when you find The One, an' she leaves?" Luke asked again. He looked at his uncle, and the resolve in his eyes was unmistakable. "You go after her."

"What?"

Luke got up and started for the closet. "I'm goin' after her," he said, grabbing his jacket.

"_You're_ gonna go after her?" Jesse exclaimed. "You're not makin' any sense!"

Luke turned and faced him. "Uncle Jesse—Bo never told Darla how he felt, not really. He never told her that he loves her. And I'm willin' to bet that she never told him, either. They're in love, Uncle Jesse, an' they're lettin' go of it because they think that's the right thing to do. But what if it ain't? What if they spend the rest of their lives looking back, wishing they could have said or done somethin' different? You're right; Bo's grievin', and if it was just grief, we could get him through that. But sooner or later, that's gonna turn into regret. And regret's somethin' you gotta live with for the rest of your life. I'm not gonna let them live with that; either of them."

Jesse had no idea what to make of this. "Luke—ya know this may not change anything. She may not listen to ya at all. An' she may still go back to Kentucky; she's still got her family's farm to think of. Ya may make things worse."

Luke nodded. "I know," he said. "But I gotta try. You always taught us you should never leave things unsaid, Uncle Jesse. An' you also taught us that as long as you have love, you can get through anything. They love each other, Uncle Jesse; I _know_ they do. They can make this work. But at least one of 'em's gotta see sense first. I tried with Bo; now I'm gonna try with Darla."

"Ya should at least wait 'til mornin'," Jesse said.

Luke shook his head. "I need to get to Atlanta before she leaves. She probably won't stay beyond today." He looked at his uncle and said, "Uncle Jesse—I can't explain it, an' I don't know if it'll do any good, but I _gotta_ do this."

Jesse knew he wasn't going to talk Luke out of it. "All right," he said softly.

Luke smiled a little. "Don't tell Bo where I've gone. Don't tell Daisy, either."

Jesse nodded. He marveled sometimes, at the lengths his children would go to for each other. He reached out and hugged his eldest. "Good luck," he whispered.

Luke hugged him back. "I'll be back," he said, and headed out the door.

_**A/N: It really is amazing, what lengths the Dukes will go to for each other, isn't it?**_

_**I had a hard time figuring out exactly who Jesse's wife was. He referred to her as Livinia in "Boar's Nest Bears," "Enos and Daisy's Wedding," and "Farewell, Hazzard," but in "Return of the Ridge Raiders," Livinia was the sister he hadn't spoken to in twenty years. The only episode I remember him referring to his wife as Martha was in "The Legacy." I went with Livinia.**_


	23. Tell Me The Truth

_She was walking along a path, in the bright sunshine. On her right were rolling, blue-green hills, divided neatly by white fences. In the distance, she could see a large red house with a white porch. She knew it well; she'd spent most of her life there. It felt strange to look at it; it was her home, and yet it was not. She felt like she should go to it, but it was not inviting. _

_Then she looked to her left. She saw a dirt and gravel yard, a white house and a grey barn. They had seen many hard years. Both the house and barn were dilapidated; they bore the marks of many repairs, but nothing could hide their age. They were run-down, worn and scarred, and yet…she felt drawn to them. _

_She looked back at the red house in the hills. She could feel something; memories of parties, family gatherings, playing games on the porch. But the house was still empty. It seemed barren, somehow, despite everything she remembered._

_She looked back at the old farmhouse. This time, she saw people there; an old man with white hair and a red cap, a pretty girl with long brown hair and a huge smile, and two young men. One had dark brown hair and eyes bright as the blue sky above him. The other was taller with tousled blond waves, and eyes that would make the bluest sapphires seem dull by comparison. _

_Her heart ached to see them. She wanted to go to them, but she was rooted to the path. She looked back at the red house. That was what was missing. She looked back at the farmhouse and the family it sheltered. It may have been worn-down and shabby, but…there was love there. It was the kind of love that only a family could give. _

_She felt confused; she couldn't seem to go to the right or the left. The path was dividing the two places, but she couldn't choose between them. So she walked on, and saw a figure in front of her. He had dark hair, nut-brown skin, and hazel eyes like hers. He smiled at her as she approached him._

"_Jonas?" she said._

"'_Nira," he said._

_She was so happy to see him. She loved and respected her parents, but it was Jonas whom she adored. He could help her._

"_Jonas, I don't understand," she said. "Why am I here? Where am I supposed to be?"_

"_We're proud of you, 'Nira. Did you know that?"_

_Darla smiled sadly. "I did everything I could," she said. "I kept the bloodline alive. I kept the farm alive."_

"_Yes, you did," said Jonas. He looked at the red house in the hills. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" he said._

"_It doesn't feel right anymore," said Darla. "But that's where I'm supposed to be. I can't let Treasure Green fail; it has to go on."_

"_And it will go on, if you let it," said Jonas. "But you have to do what's right for it."_

"_You know, you were never this cryptic before," Darla snapped._

_Jonas smiled a little at that. He looked at the red house again. "What's the most important thing for Treasure Green?" he asked._

_Darla looked at the rolling hills. She could see the barns now, and the practice track, and the horses in the fields. She could see Treasure in his pasture, trotting back and forth, trying to catch a mare's attention. Everything looked like she always remembered it. "That it survives," she finally said._

"_Exactly," said Jonas. "Your head says you belong there, but you need heart to make Treasure Green survive. And yours will never be there."_

_Darla was getting more confused. "But how can I run Treasure Green, then?"_

"_Who said you had to?"_

"_But—but a Verdes has always run Treasure Green!" said Darla._

"_You said it yourself; the most important thing for Treasure Green is that it survives," said Jonas. "'Nira, we love you, and we'll always love you, no matter what you do. But he loves you too," he said, and looked at Bo. "You don't have to let one go to have the other."_

"_But how?"_

"_There's a way; you just don't see it yet," said Jonas. "And that's why you're here." He gestured to the path she was on._

"_I don't understand," she said again._

"_I know, but you will," said Jonas. He looked again at the old house and the family there. Darla knew he was looking at Bo. "You know what Mama and Papa would ask about him," he said. "Papa would ask, 'Is he good to you?'"_

_Darla felt the ache in her heart again as she looked at him. "He's wonderful to me," she said._

"_And Mama would ask, 'Is he from a good family?'"_

_Darla nodded. "They couldn't be better," she said firmly._

"_Do you love him?" Jonas asked._

_Darla felt tears flood her eyes as she nodded. "I do love him," she said. "But I don't know if he loves me."_

"_Do you really think he doesn't?"_

"_I don't know!" she wailed. "Jonas, I don't know anything! I don't understand! Why am I here? I don't know where I'm supposed to be!"_

"_You need to be where you belong, 'Nira," Jonas said softly._

"_But I don't know where that is anymore!" __Darla cried. "Jonas, help me!"_

"_It's not a decision I can make, 'Nira," said Jonas. "But you don't have to lose one to have the other."_

"_Jonas, please! Don't go!" Darla cried. __The skies over her head began to darken._

"_We'll always love you," said Jonas, as he began to fade. "But he loves you, too. Don't let your heart die, 'Nira. Be where you belong." He faded into the growing darkness._

"_Jonas, no!" Darla cried. She looked around her; the skies were beginning to boil. She looked back at the farmhouse. Now, all the Dukes were gone, except one. Bo stood alone, not moving, as the sky grew darker above him. He raised his eyes and looked at her. Even from a distance, she could see his grief. The sky turned black above him. "Darla, please," she heard him whisper. "I can't lose you. I love you. Please." She realized she'd heard him say those words before. She tried to shout to him, but she couldn't make a sound._

_She saw Bo close his eyes and raise his face to the sky. He seemed to welcome what happened next._

_There was a brilliant flash of white, and he was gone._

"_Noooooo—"_

"ooooo!" Darla screamed; she sat up, gasping. In the dim light, she saw the close confines of the trailer's front room. She was on her narrow cot, with her sleeping bag twisted around her. She took a few more breaths, trying to calm herself. She put her head in her hands, and felt something cut into her skin. She looked and saw the saints' bracelet on her wrist. She felt a lump in her throat. Every time she looked at it, she felt the loss in her heart again.

She felt tears slide down her cheeks. She should have been happy after the win, but she felt miserable. She'd won the Stakes race, but what did it mean? Her family wasn't there to see it. She'd been missing them for so long, that ache in her heart was familiar. But now she had a second one; it was fresh, and it was sharper.

_Bo._

She missed him so much. She missed all of them. She missed Hazzard. She felt homesick for it, and it wasn't even her home. She'd secretly hoped the Dukes would come to the race. She hadn't really expected them to, but she was still disappointed when they didn't come to find her.

_Be where you belong, _Jonas had said. She didn't know where that was anymore. _You don't have to give up one to have the other._ What did that mean?

She took a breath; it came out as a sob. She felt the bracelet on her wrist again, and she couldn't stop the tears. She lay back down and buried her face in the pillow, feeling more alone than she had in months.

* * *

The interstate was deserted at this hour of the morning. Luke probably could have driven faster, but he stuck close to the speed limit, not knowing where the speed traps were around Atlanta. The sky was turning from black to blue as he hit the outer suburbs of the city.

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes; he was going to have to wake up if he was going to talk to Darla coherently. He found a gas station and grabbed some coffee, and asked the sleepy attendant behind the counter for directions to the racetrack. Fortunately, it wasn't too far from the interstate.

He leaned against the General Lee, sipping coffee and watched the sky brighten from sapphire to robin-egg blue. Between the sleep deprivation and his metabolism dropping, he was seriously starting to wonder if this was a good idea. He knew Darla had obligations to her family. What he _didn't_ know, was how Darla really felt about Bo. What if she didn't really love him? What if she wanted to go back to her old life? Bo had said he would never ask her to turn her back on her family; how could he do it?

"What the heck am I doin' here?" he muttered.

He heaved a sigh as he slid back into the General. He cranked the engine and sat there for a minute, wondering what to do next. If he went back to Hazzard now, he could either say he couldn't find her, or that she'd refused to come back, and Bo would be none the wiser.

"But I would be," he whispered to himself. No, he'd come this far; he'd see it through, even if it was futile.

He reached for the radio and turned it on, hoping to find some music to keep him awake. But the radio was silent as he spun the dial. He frowned at it; then he realized there was a cassette in the deck. He didn't remember leaving one in there. He popped it out and looked at it. It was blank, and very short. Where had it come from? He pushed it back in and waited.

At first he thought it was blank. Then he heard it; a faint, dissident sound of strings. He heard a keyboard play the opening notes. It definitely wasn't something he and Bo would listen to, but he let it play.

_Just when I believed  
I couldn't ever want for more  
This ever changing world  
pushes me through another door  
I saw you smile  
And my mind could not erase the beauty of your face  
Just for a while  
Won't you let me shelter you_

The melody had a haunting, melancholy sound. He didn't recognize the singer, but the words captured him. And he knew, by the style of the music, who had left it there._  
_

_Hold on to the nights  
Hold on to the memories  
I wish that I could give you something more  
That I could be yours_

_How do we explain something that took us by surprise  
Promises in vain, love that is real but in disguise  
What happens now  
Do we break another rule  
Let our lovers play the fool  
I don't know how  
To stop feeling this way_

Luke's throat tightened as he listened. He knew Darla had meant for Bo to find this, but he knew what she was trying to say.

_Hold on to the nights  
Hold on to the memories  
If only I could give you more_

_Well, I think that I've been true to everybody else but me_  
_And the way I feel about you makes my heart long to be free_  
_Every time I look into your eyes, I'm helplessly aware_  
_That the someone I've been searching for is right there_

Luke smiled a little as he hit the gas and headed back to the interstate. If there was any doubt in his mind at all about his trip, it was gone now. She loved Bo. If they had that, he knew the rest would fall into place.  
_  
Hold on to the nights  
Hold on the to the memories  
I wish that I could give you more_

_Hold on to the nights…_

* * *

Darla kneeled in Treasure's stall, winding bandages around the stallion's front legs. If people in the row didn't know she'd won the Stakes the day before, they wouldn't have guessed she had. After waking up in the middle of the night, sleep had eluded her. Her eyes were red, and she looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. The dream she'd had kept running through her mind. She could still see the path she'd been standing on, and could hear Jonas's words echoing in her mind. She remembered seeing Bo disappear, and had to fight back tears again.

She finished the bandage and sat back, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. She felt so drained. More than that, she felt incredibly lonely. She'd gotten used to being on her own in the months she'd been hiding out, but after a month in Hazzard, she'd felt the love of family again. And, she'd felt a kind of love she'd never experienced before. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Bo. She couldn't stop thinking about his smile, his laugh, and those dark blue eyes looking at her, betraying every emotion he tried to hide. The thought of never seeing him again weighed on her so heavily; it felt like she couldn't breathe. She didn't know how she'd made it through a week without him; how was she supposed to make it through a lifetime?

She felt warm breath on her hair; Treasure nudged her with his nose. She managed a weak smile. "You're still here for me, aren't you?" she murmured. She rubbed her eyes and started another bandage.

"Now, ya ain't plannin' on ridin' that old nag again today, are ya?" said a voice behind her.

She snapped her head around. Standing there, with dark hair, bright blue eyes and a teasing smile, was Luke.

"Luke!" Darla squeaked. She swept under the stall's rope door and launched herself into his arms. Luke laughed and hugged her back. "Oh, it's good to see you!" he said.

"How did you get in here?" she asked.

"Well, fortunately, there was a pretty girl mindin' the gate," said Luke, with a grin. "I had to do a little shuck an' jive, and I think I owe her a drink, but…"

Darla looked up at him, feeling better than she had in days. "Oh, Luke, it's so good to see you!" she said fervently. She looked around him. "Where are the others?"

"Umm…" Luke saw Darla's expression change as he looked at her. "I'm kinda here by myself, actually," he said.

Darla's face seemed to crumple. "Oh," she said in a tiny voice.

Luke tilted her chin up and met her eyes. "Bo doesn't know I'm here," he said softly.

Darla frowned a little. "Then, what are you doing here?"

In answer, Luke reached into his back pocket, and pulled the tape out. "I think you meant for Bo to find this," he said. "But, he hasn't wanted to listen to music since you left."

Darla's eyes flooded with tears again as she looked at it. "Let me ask you something," said Luke. He held the tape out to her. "Did you mean it? Did you mean what it said?"

Darla nodded. "Every word," she whispered.

"Good," said Luke. "Because I came here to bring you back."

"What?" said Darla.

"Now, just hear me out, okay?" said Luke. "Darla…Bo is lost without you. He's broken-hearted. He just ain't himself anymore, an' that's because you're such a big part of him now. You're a part of all of us. We all miss you; our family just ain't the same without you."

"Luke, I—I can't…please, this already hurts so much—"

"I know, and I didn't come here to hurt you. But I don't think you're doin' any better than he is right now," said Luke. "Darla…there's gotta be some way you two can work this out."

"Luke, please; I have to go back. I have to run Treasure Green—"

"Do you? Do you really?" asked Luke. "Who'd you say has been runnin' things for you since you left?"

"My cousin Connor, why?"

"Well…the farm's still standin', ain't it?" said Luke, grinning. "In fact, from what you've told us, I'd say it's doin' pretty well. An' that gave me an idea." He'd been turning a thought over in his mind as he got closer to the racetrack. Before he found Darla, he'd found a payphone and called up Gary Butler to run it by him. He agreed it had merit.

Darla's eyes widened as Luke outlined it for her. She nodded, lost in thought for a moment. "It could work," she said slowly. "The Verdes would still control the bloodline…the farm would prosper…" _What's most important for Treasure Green is that it survives,_ Jonas had said. She looked at Luke like he'd just thrown her a lifeline. She looked at Treasure. The stallion was watching the two of them over the rope, as if he could understand their conversation. For a moment, Luke saw doubt in her eyes. "He can't stay in Hazzard," she said.

"No, you're right; you'll still have to go back to Kentucky," said Luke, grinning as the stallion eyed him. "If this idea works, you'll probably have to go back a lot. But, you wouldn't be alone." He looked back at her. "If you come back to Hazzard, you'd have family there."

_Family_. It was what she'd been missing for so long.

"Darla," said Luke, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Go tell him. Tell him how you feel. Please, don't let this die."

"But…what if Bo—?" She couldn't form the words; she shook her head slightly.

"Darla—Bo loves you," Luke said softly. "I know he didn't say it to you. I think he thought it'd be easier on both of you if he didn't. But I know my cousin, and I _know _he loves you. I know he's never felt this way about anyone before."

"Then why isn't he here, asking me this?" she asked.

"Remember what I said at the Boar's Nest, about it bein' pointless to argue with a brick-lined head?" said Luke, grinning again. Darla smiled a little, in spite of herself. "Bo let you go, without telling you his feelings, because he thought it was the only choice," Luke went on. "I think that was a first for him; Bo's not the type to hold anything back. I'm willin' to bet you thought the same thing. But you owe it to each other to say how you feel. If you don't, you're gonna regret it. I don't want either of you to spend your days wondering how things coulda turned out different, if you'd just told each other the truth."

"I know you love your family, and I'm sure they still love you. But Bo loves you too. Darla—you belong with him."

Darla's eyes popped. "What did you say?"

Luke looked confused. "I said, Bo loves you too, and you belong with him."

Her jaw dropped; she couldn't believe it. _"Be where you belong,"_ she whispered. How could Luke say the same thing Jonas had told her?

Luke sensed she was wavering. "Darla, look at me." He bent his head and looked straight into her eyes. There was one thing he needed to know, before this went any further. And she needed to say it. "Tell me the truth. Don't lie to me, and don't lie to yourself."

"Do you love him?"

_**Okay, I admit it: Richard Marx's "Hold On To The Nights" was a little cheesy, but it came on my iPod while I was drafting this chapter. I thought it summed up exactly how Darla feels about Bo. The question is, what will she do with it?**_


	24. That Ol' Wind

Bo woke to an empty room. The light from the window seemed to stab him in the eye and pierce all the way through his skull. He turned over and felt his head spin a little. Given that he'd cut his teeth drinking moonshine, he thought he could handle anything, but that rum of Darla's had defeated him.

"How can she drink that stuff?" he muttered out loud. Then he remembered why he'd been drinking it. Memories from the night before came back to him in a rush. He stared at the ceiling and sighed. He vaguely remembered Daisy and Luke convincing him to come back to the house, and their arms around him as they guided him back to the house and into bed.

"_Just rest now, Bo," said Daisy_. _"Things'll look better in the mornin', I promise."_

_Bo sniffed and rolled into a ball, like he used to when he was little and went to bed upset. "I'm sorry," he whispered._

_"Hey, you got nothin' in the world to be sorry for," said Luke. "You're hurtin' right now; we know that. An' we'll be here for you. We'll get you through this." _

_Daisy started running her hand gently through Bo's hair. Bo smirked at her. "That's fightin' dirty," he mumbled. His eyelids started to droop._

_"It also puts you out like a light; always has," Daisy grinned at him. She felt his body start to relax. She gently kissed his forehead and left the room. _

_Bo let out a shaky sigh and closed his eyes. "Luke…" he whispered._

_"I know," he heard Luke whisper back._

Bo sat up, swung his legs over the bed and rubbed his eyes. His head ached, he felt light-headed, and his mouth felt like it was full of cotton, but he didn't feel as sick as he thought he would. Mostly, he felt wrung out from the torrent of emotions that had poured out of him. But he also felt a little better, a little more peaceful. He'd felt like his heart was being torn in two, but he didn't have to endure it alone. Just like always, his family had been there for him. He felt a surge of gratitude for his cousins. Heaven knew how long they'd been out there in the barn loft, but they'd stuck it out with him.

_Maybe, just maybe, I'll live through this,_ he thought. One thing was for sure, though—he wasn't going to even look at another girl for a while. He knew he wouldn't be able to and not see her. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to look at breakfast this morning, either.

He headed for the kitchen and heard Daisy talking excitedly. "Oh, you bet, Enos, we'll be there!" she said. She put down the CB mic as Bo walked in. "Oh, Bo, guess what? Rosco caught Vince Gill in the Celebrity Speed Trap! He's gonna perform at the Boar's Nest this afternoon! Isn't that wonderful?"

Bo had to fight back a shock. The pain from the night before pricked at his heart again. He managed half a smile as he grabbed coffee; he knew how much Daisy loved listening to his music, and probably loved him, too. "Well, your dream came true, huh? You'll get a front row seat for that crooner," he said, grabbing bread to put in the toaster.

"Oh, no, Bo Duke, you are NOT sittin' this out!" Daisy said firmly. "I don't care if I have to hog-tie you; you are comin' with us!"

"I dunno, Daisy, I wouldn't be much fun—"

"Now, Bo, I think Daisy's right," Uncle Jesse broke in. He was already seated at the table. "You need to get outta this house and outta that barn for a while; this'll be good for ya."

Bo sat down at the table. "Uncle Jesse, there's a lotta work to get done around here—"

"Bo." Uncle Jesse gave his nephew a glare.

Bo looked down at his coffee; he knew he wasn't going to get out of this. "Yessir," he mumbled.

"I'm gonna start gettin' ready!" said Daisy, and ran for her room.

"But—the show's not 'til this afternoon!" Jesse yelled after her.

Bo snorted into his cup. "The way she swoons after that guy, she'll need all day," said Bo. He was grateful Daisy hadn't mentioned anything about the night before. Suddenly he looked around and frowned. "Where's Luke?"

"Oh—he, uh, took off early this mornin', said he had a few things to do," said Jesse. He looked at his nephew. "Left me to get the chores done," he finished.

Bo looked a little sheepish at that, but suspected that Luke had persuaded Uncle Jesse to let him sleep. Ordinarily, Bo would have demanded to know exactly where his cousin had gone without him, but he just nodded absently and sipped his coffee again.

Jesse looked at him a moment longer. "C'mere a minute," he said suddenly, and got up. Bo looked confused but followed him.

Jesse headed for his bedroom; Bo followed him in and looked around. He smiled a little. "Y'know, I don't think I've been in here since I was about seven an' had a bad dream," he said.

"Well, except for all the times you snuck in here lookin' for yer Christmas presents," Jesse said lightly, heading for his nightstand.

Bo smiled a little and shook his head. _That man don't miss a thing_, he thought.

Jesse came back over to him, holding a tiny box. "I, um—I want you to have this," he said slowly, and handed it to him.

"What is it?" he asked. He opened the lid. Inside was a gold ring. He shook it into his hand. The bottom was a solid band, but the top arced into several thin ropes of gold that caught the light as they criss-crossed each other. In the center of the ropes were two pearls, one on either side of a sapphire.

Bo stared at it. "Uncle Jesse, isn't this—"

"It was your Aunt Livinia's," said Jesse.

"I haven't seen this since she died," Bo said softly.

"It was yer Great-grandma Ellen's, originally," said Jesse. "When I knew I wanted to marry Livinia, the war was just endin'. Times were tough around here, an' I couldn't afford a ring. Granny Ellen said it just wouldn't be right to ask for her hand in marriage without a ring to put on it, so she gave me this one."

Bo looked at Jesse; he shook his head. "Uncle Jesse, I can't take this," he said.

"Yer not takin' it; I'm givin' it," said Uncle Jesse. "And don't tell me no, Bo."

Bo looked back at the ring. He felt a lump rise in his throat again. "Uncle Jesse—" he whispered. He had to swallow hard.

Jesse put a hand on Bo's shoulder. "I've always said you an' Luke were good boys," he said. "But the truth is, you're good _men_ now. You're grown up, Bo; an' you've grown into a finer man than I ever coulda hoped for."

Bo managed a weak smile before Jesse went on. "You're a grown man, an' you need to make the decisions that drive yer life now. An' if those decisions take you away from home, well…home will always be here."

Bo knew what Uncle Jesse was trying to tell him. "Hazzard's my home, Uncle Jesse. Always has been, always will be. I said as much to Luke."

"Well…" Uncle Jesse put his gnarled hands over Bo's, and closed his nephew's fingers over the ring. "I think, when the time comes…you'll know what to do with it," he said slowly. He pushed Bo's closed hand to his heart, and walked past him out of the room.

_Luke,_ he thought, _I hope you're havin' better luck than me._

* * *

As he crossed the Hazzard County line, Luke switched his CB to channel sixteen. "This here's Lost Sheep number one, lookin' for Bo Peep an' Sheppard, y'all got yer ears on?"

"Luke!" exclaimed Daisy from Dixie's driver seat. "Luke Duke, where on _earth_ have you been!" she yelled into her CB mic.

"Well, I had to take off early this mornin'; had a few things to do," he said.

"Well, you better be done doin' 'em, 'cause Vince Gill got caught in the celebrity speed trap, an' we're headin' to the Boar's Nest for his show!"

"Vince Gill? No kiddin?" Luke laughed. "That's great! Um…are all of ya goin'?"

"You bet, hon!" said Daisy. Bo gave her a sulky look from Dixie's back seat.

"All right, I'll be there quick as I can!" said Luke. He put the mic down and thought for a minute, then smiled slowly as an idea came to him.

* * *

When Luke arrived, the Boar's Nest was in full swing. Even with everyone stomping and clapping to the music, Luke could hear Vince's treble voice over the noise:

_Well, I might get lucky down in ol' San Antone  
Find a little Texas girl I could call my own  
That lone star lovin's the best I've ever known  
That's the life of a cowboy ridin' the rodeo. _

_Ride cowboy ride, hold on for your life_  
_Eight seconds is a long, long time when you're sittin' on dynamite_  
_You can't make money buddy if you get thrown_  
_That's the life of a cowboy ridin' the rodeo._

_Yeah, that's the life of a cowboy ridin' the rodeo!_

As he walked in the door, Luke saw Daisy sitting up front with Jesse and Cooter. Bo was sprawled in a chair with them. He applauded too, but his smile looked a little tired, like he was forcing himself to hold it.

Everyone cheered as Vince bowed. Luke joined in the applause as Vince said, "Thanks, Hazzard! Listen, y'all have been a wonderful crowd, but we really need to get goin'."

"Now, hold on a minute, mister Gill!" Luke said loudly as the crowd groaned in disappointment.

"Luke!" said Daisy.

"What's he doin'?" said Cooter.

Bo said nothing, just watched as Luke approached the stage, murmured something to Vince and handed him a piece of paper. The singer looked surprised, but nodded and said something back. Luke smiled and headed for a seat next to Jesse, and clapped Bo on the shoulder.

Vince said, "Well, I guess we've got time for more!" The crowd cheered and clapped. Vince raised his hand for quiet and said, "And it appears I've been asked to do a special dedication!"

Daisy gave Luke a puzzled look. "What—?"

Luke just nodded toward the stage.

"I've just received this note, here; lemme read this," he said. "Dear Mister Gill; I was hoping you would play a special song for me. You see, not long ago I was passing through Hazzard, when I ran into a whole lot of trouble. And I met some folks who were willing to do anything, even risk their own lives, to help me."

Daisy's eyes widened; she stared at Luke. He couldn't quite keep from smiling.

Bo's heart was suddenly pounding. He sat up, his eyes riveted to the stage.

Vince went on. "Later on, I left Hazzard. I thought I had to; I thought I had to go on living my own life. But then I realized, I have a life here. There have been many times when I've known what it meant to be alone. But until I came to Hazzard, and then went away, I never knew what it meant to be lonely. So if you would, play 'Never Knew Lonely' for me, so I can say I'm so sorry for leaving. I can't make up for the time I've been gone, but I'm willing to stay, if only he'll have me."

The crowd was silent as Vince finished. Cooter looked over at Luke, his eyebrows raised. Luke gestured slightly toward the door.

Bo's heart was hammering so hard his chest hurt. _It couldn't be true. It couldn't be._

"Well," Vince said, looking around, "is the lady who requested this song here anywhere?"

A few people who hadn't caught on yet looked around, but Daisy, Jesse, Luke, and Cooter were staring at the door. Bo followed their gaze, and his heart stopped.

She moved through the crowd toward him. Tiny frame, pale skin, and long, braided red hair. Bo stood slowly and faced her. He'd always scoffed at the romantic notion of the crowds parting and seeing the woman of his dreams walking toward him.

But that was exactly what was happening.

Her dark hazel eyes were filled with apprehension; she was trembling like a leaf. They met in the middle of the floor as Vince began to sing.

_No other lover ever really cared  
When I reached out for you, you've always been there  
Now I'm so far away and baby I'm scared  
I never knew lonely 'til You _

Bo was afraid to breathe; if anything changed from this moment, he was sure he'd wake up from the dream he was in. She extended her hand to him. _This was it_, Bo thought. He'd try to touch her, and the dream would dissolve around him. He closed his eyes for a second, then took her hand in his.

It was warm. It was solid. It was _real._

It was really her.

_You are my rock and the strength I need_  
_To keep me sane in this life that I lead_  
_Now I'm not with you and my broken heart bleeds_  
_I never knew lonely 'til you_

Bo couldn't say a word; he stared at her in disbelief. Darla reached for his other hand as Vince's voice rose above the music.

_Never knew lonely could be so blue  
Never knew lonely could tear you in two  
Never loved someone like I love you  
Never knew lonely till you_

Daisy had tears in her eyes. She threw her arms around Luke; they both smiled as Darla and Bo stood in the middle of the floor.

_I can't make up for the times I've been gone_  
_But I'll prove I love you with the words of this song_  
_And back in your arms its where I belong_  
_ I never knew lonely 'til you_

Bo raised one hand and gently brushed her cheek. Darla had tears in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Bo and rested her head on his chest. Bo let out a shuddering sigh and dropped his head so his cheek rested on her hair.

_Never knew lonely could be so blue  
Never knew lonely could tear you in two  
Never loved someone like I love you  
Never knew lonely till you_

_Never loved someone like I love you  
Girl, I never knew lonely till you _

Everyone cheered as Vince played the last few chords of the song, but Darla and Bo were oblivious.

Darla would have stayed there, but Bo whispered in her ear, "Come with me." He took her hand and pulled her out the door as everyone came forward to cheer for Vince.

Daisy looked after them. "Luke, I cannot _believe_ you did this!" she exclaimed, turning to her cousin.

"Ya ain't mad at me, are ya?" Luke grinned.

"Are you kiddin'? I was about ready to cry!" Daisy said. "Oh, Luke, this has got to be the sweetest, most amazing thing you have ever done! What on earth made you decide to go after her?"

Luke's smile faded a little. "After we got Bo inside last night, I got to thinkin'," he said, "and I couldn't just sit there. For once, I was like Bo—I didn't wanna think; I had to _do_ somethin'. Darla left because she thought she had to; Bo let her go because he thought _he_ had to. But they never told each other how they really felt. An' somethin' inside me said if they didn't get that chance, they'd regret it for the rest of their lives." He looked toward the door. "Hopefully, they'll say what they need to say."

"Should we go after them?" Daisy asked, a little too eagerly.

"No," Luke said firmly. "We'll know what the outcome is soon enough."

Jesse looked after them too, and wondered exactly what Bo would say.


	25. The Search Is Over

Outside, Bo pulled Darla around the corner by the back door to Boss's office. He threw his arms around her again and held her so tight she thought her ribs would crack. "You came back," he whispered, over and over. He finally looked down at her. His expression was a mixture of disbelief and joy. "What are you doin' here? Did Luke…why'd you come back?"

"Luke tracked me down, and tried to talk some sense into me," she said.

"Did it work?"

"Well, I think someone was trying to get me to see sense before that," said Darla. She told him about the dream she'd had after the race. "Maybe it sounds crazy, but I think…Jonas was trying to tell me to see sense about you." She paused, and said, "Bo...I love you."

Bo felt the breath rush out of him. He smiled, just a little at first, then it kept getting wider. "I love you," he said softly. As he said it, he felt his heart fill up and overflow. He bent his head and kissed her. He'd meant to do it gently, but Darla wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her toward him, hard. Bo wrapped his arms around her again and lifted her up, kissing her back. His heart was beating like it was making up for lost time.

Both their heads were spinning when Bo finally set her back on her feet. He took her face in her hands and kissed her again, gently this time, and touched his forehead to hers. They were both trying to hold tears back. "You have no idea how bad I've wanted to say that," said Bo.

"I wanted to say it too," said Darla. "I felt like I couldn't say it, that I'd be shirking my responsibility to my family if I followed my heart. But…I know they wouldn't have wanted that for me. They'd want me to be happy. And…what's most important for Treasure Green is that it survives, not that a Verdes runs it. And I'm not the right person for that. Treasure Green will go on, and I'll be a big part of it, but I won't be leading it."

Bo looked confused. "What are you sayin'?"

She quickly told him about Luke's idea. "I really think it could work," she said. "It's going to take some fast talking to convince our shareholders, but as long as we keep making them money, I think they'll agree. And, it'll mean a lot of driving back and forth to Kentucky, but…"

Bo pushed a few strands of hair away from her face. "Wait…you mean—you're really willin' to stay here, in Hazzard?" He couldn't quite believe it.

Darla nodded. "I think Jonas was trying to tell me something else," she said. "I saw my home, but it didn't _feel _like home anymore, because I don't have family there. Some of my mother's family is there, but not Mama, Papa or Jonas. And I think that would always haunt me, if I went back. If I stay here, I could train horses, and race in Atlanta; it'd be good life," she said. "I feel like I could have a home here; I feel like I could have a family here." She swallowed and added, "If you'll still have me."

Her voice quivered a little; Bo saw the anguish in her eyes. "Oh, Darla," he whispered, "of _course_ I'll still have you. I love you, remember?"

Darla blinked back tears as he wrapped his arms around her again. "Bo, I'm so sorry," she said. "I'm sorry I left, I'm sorry I hurt you—"

"Shh," said Bo. He stepped back a little and looked at her. He thought about every time he'd kissed her, touched her, laughed with her or comforted her, and he felt like everything just snapped into place. Treasures could take many forms. They weren't all silver and gold; they weren't always measured in wealth, or blood, or history, or even family. And sometimes, people didn't even realize what they had, until that treasure had slipped through their fingers. But Bo knew that right now, he was holding his.

_This is it,_ he thought. _SHE'S it. She's the one._ And he knew with every fiber of his being that it was true. "There's only one word I want you to say right now." He couldn't let her go again. And there was only one way to keep that from happening.

He reached into the pocket of his shirt. Darla's eyes widened when she saw what he had. "Bo—"

"Darla," Bo began, and then he did something he never thought he'd do his entire life. He got down on one knee, and took her hand in his. "Darla, I love you more than anything. I haven't been the same since the day I laid eyes on you. I've never felt about anyone or anything like I do about you. And I can't stand bein' apart from you. I want you to be a part of my family. I want you to stay here in Hazzard, with us. With me. If, someday, you wanna go back to Kentucky, I'll come with you. All I know is, I can't be apart from you again, not for one minute. I want to be with you, forever. For a lifetime. Darla—" Bo swallowed and tried to keep his hands from shaking, as he put Livinia's ring on her left hand. "Dayanira Antonella Verdes," he said, "Will you marry me?"

Darla's jaw dropped. She looked down at Bo in complete shock. "Bo, I—I..." She had no idea what to say. She knew she loved him; she'd prayed all the way back from Atlanta, that he would say he loved her, but she hadn't expected _this_.

Jonas's words echoed in her mind. _We'll always love you, _she heard Jonas whisper, _but he loves you, too. Be where you belong, 'Nira._

_This_ was where she belonged. She belonged with him.

Bo started to get a little nervous after a few seconds. "Look, I-I know I sprung this on ya," he said quickly. "If you don't wanna answer now—"

"Yes." Darla was startled by the word; it almost felt like it didn't come from her lips. She felt herself smile in surprise.

Bo's eyes widened. "Yes?" His face started to light up.

"Yes," Darla said again, and felt her heart take flight as she said it. She started laughing. "Yes, already! Yes!"

Bo's smile was brighter than the midday sun. He jumped up and swung Darla around and around in his arms, and let out a "YEEE-HAAWWW!" that was probably heard all the way back in Lexington.

Once they were both getting dizzy, Bo set her back on her feet—again—took her face in his hands and kissed her more. Darla laughed a little and said, "You know, you're gonna have to find a way to kiss me that doesn't involve you bending over double."

Bo grabbed her around the waist again and lifted her up so she was level with him. "We've got a whole lifetime to figure that one out," he said, and they both laughed. He looked over his shoulder and yelled, "Y'all can come out now!"

The back door flew open; Daisy came running out with a squeal and threw her arms around Darla, followed quickly by Luke. Bo knew better than to think Daisy wouldn't be trying to listen in. He looked at his older cousin, took two strides and wrapped him in a bear hug. Luke laughed a little as he hugged him back. Bo let him go and looked at him as the girls chattered behind him. Bo didn't say anything to his cousin, but his smile and shining eyes said everything.

"C'mon!" said Luke. They headed through Boss's office door and back into the main room. "Boss!" Luke yelled, "Grab your good stuff from the back room and get everyone a round! We're buyin', _'cuz Bo here's gettin' hitched_!"

_**And that's the story about how one little thing on one day changed the life of the Dukes forever. Just think—if Bo and Luke had been just a few minutes earlier or later getting to the bank that day, who knows what would have happened? Now, that would have been a lost treasure.**_

_**As for Luke's plan—well, in a nutshell, it involves making Darla's cousin Connor the chief operating officer of Treasure Green, while leaving Darla with exclusive ownership of the stallion bloodline, which the farm's corporation would then lease directly from her. Who knew that Luke had a head for business?**_

_**So, what happens now? What schemes will Boss cook up to get the Dukes off their farm, now that someone with money is marrying into the family? How will life in Hazzard change with a Spaniard in town? Will Bo and Darla make it to the altar? The next installment of the 'Treasure' series, 'Seeds of Doubt,' is next!**_


	26. At last

1

"It's a beautiful night," Darla said softly.

"Not nearly as beautiful as you," said Bo.

"Flatterer," said Darla.

"Hey, that's the honest-to-God truth," said Bo.

They were lying back on the hood of the General Lee on top of the Hazzard dam, staring at the sky. The General's radio played through the windows. "You think we'll still be doing this twenty years from now?" Darla murmured.

Bo breathed a sigh and pulled her closer. "I hope so," he said. "Although," he added, "if we keep doin' _everything_ we did tonight on a regular basis, I think my heart would give out." They both laughed softly.

"Yeah, plus the General's shocks would need replacing more often," said Darla, and they laughed harder. Darla rested her head on Bo's shoulder; he sighed again as he breathed in the scent of her hair. Coconut and jasmine; he'd never forget that fragrance.

Darla sighed too. "We're going to have to head back soon," she said.

Bo's arms tightened around her. "I don't wanna go back; Uncle Jesse'll make me go to my own bed, and I don't wanna let go of you tonight."

Darla didn't want to sleep alone either, but she said, "We've got a lifetime now, Bo."

"And I want that lifetime to start _now,_" said Bo, and pulled her on top of him.

Darla shot him a look and couldn't quite hide a smile. "You know Uncle Jesse will send Luke looking for us if we don't go back," she said, "And considering he spent all night driving, he deserves some sleep."

Bo gave her his best puppy dog look. "Just a little while longer?"

Darla's smile turned teasing. _"__Haz_ _que_ _valga la pena,"_ she said.

"What's that mean?"

"It means, _make it worth my while_," she said.

Bo smiled and brushed her lips with his.

_Now at last I hold you, now all is said and done  
The search has come full circle  
Our destinies are one  
So if you ever loved me  
Show me that you give a damn  
You'll know for certain  
The man I really am_

I was living for a dream, loving for a moment  
Taking on the world, that was just my style  
Then I touched your hand, I could hear you whisper  
The search is over, love was right before my eyes

_-Survivor, "The Search is Over"_


End file.
